


Shadows of Memories Past

by JoACurl



Category: Dark Shadows (1966)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-13
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2018-03-17 15:37:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 100,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3534836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoACurl/pseuds/JoACurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vicki and Barnabas plan their wedding when an old threat from the past comes to stop the wedding, Daphne and Quentin grow closer when an old nemisis comes to take all that Quentin holds dear, while evil forces draw together to bring down the great house called Collinwood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Shadows of Memories Past

Wyndcliff Sanitarium 1966

Daphne smiled at the elderly gentleman sitting in the wheelchair soaking up the warm sunshine on a brisk autumn day. The glasses he wore were so think she imagined he could not look out over the wide garden’s expanse to enjoy the changing colors of the maple trees. How the light danced delightfully over the pond that edged the edge of the garden’s ground. The only thing he seemed to note was the singing of the birds in the carefully groomed tree lined pathway that meandered delightfully over the massive expanse of the grounds. 

“Are you ready to go in Victor?” Daphne arranged the blankets around the large man’s body. He had given the impression that he had been dozing in the warm sunshine, lifting his head that held a healthy set of natural thick sandy brown curls, he turned his myopic gaze to the pretty young dark haired lady and smiled. 

“Hello my dear Daphne, so nice of you to come to visit me. Would you like to take a stroll in the garden, you will forgive me for not rising.” He had taken her hand in his hand placing a gentle kiss on her wrist. His voice was heavily accented with a broad Germanic or Hungarian accent. Daphne was not sure what nationality her charge claimed. For the most part he was just a docile older gentleman with limited vision and some health issues in a failing body. 

Daphne smiled indulgently at the older man then began to push him down the sidewalk that meandered around the garden. “It’s fall Victor, and the wind is a bit brisk are you warm enough?” She spoke from behind the high back wood wheel chair that held an annoying click, click, click sound with the turn of the wheels. 

“I am quite comfortable my dear, what of you? Are you dressed warmed enough?” He let that sightless gaze peer ahead and Daphne was sure his eyesight only permitted him to see outlines or colors but nothing more significant to define exactly what someone might actually appear. She knew he had used his other senses to determine more for his very astute and bright mind. 

“I have my heavy sweater and will be fine, that is if you wish to stroll in the garden.” She spoke so sweetly he smiled peered back to the sound of her voice and determined she was right behind him pushing his chair. 

“I would be a man out of my mind if I did not enjoy the company of a very attractive young lady with such a tender and sweet voice.” He had reached behind him to feel her hand now gloved resting on the handles of his chair and patted her hand. “You make an old man happy to be alive my dear.”

Daphne chuckled and teased, “You may a big nosed wart faced girl happy to be your companion Victor.” She gently turned her hand to clasp his hand and squeeze it gently.

“My dear Miss Harridge, you are hardly a a big nosed wart face girl. If anything you are one of those very rare finds. You are a collector’s dream when it comes to searching for someone that is abundant in beauty, charm and obviously compassion. You are my dear a joy to be around.” He in turn gently squeezed her hand back. “Now with the wind coming from the north, I suggest we head back inside. My joy for the day is ending too soon.” 

Daphne had turned his chair and guided it back through the pneumatic doors, past the reception area where she stopped briefly to sign Victor back in as a returned patient. After completing the protocol for the paper work, she guided his chair past the various low risk patients down a hallway that smelled suspiciously like urine, bleach and antiseptics. The various noises that followed the pretty nurse pushing the chair of an aristocratic looking gentlemen with limited eye sight was typical for any institution that catered to the old, infirmed or mentally disturbed. 

Meds were being distributed in the recreation room, the occasional howl of a disenchanted patient was punctuated by another corresponding howl down the hallway. The food carts would be coming soon and Daphne wanted her charge comfortable in his private room before the activities of feeding began. “Victor would you like to go back out to the garden tomorrow if the weather permits?” Daphne had locked his chair, moved to stand in front of him bending down to move the lap robe aside and place his large feet on the floor.

She glanced up to see him smiling down at her bent head. Taking his gloved hand he stroked her hair, catching the plated braid to pull it forward and study its texture and color. “I bet when you let your hair down you have very beautiful hair, your eyes are so expressive my dear.” He dropped her plat and cupped her delicately pointed chin in his palm. “if the weather permits I would say yes, we should make another trip outside so I can watch the sun play over her hair, and I wished you would let your hair loose so I could see the wind lift it to play it across that heart shaped face that was designed to melt a man’s heart.”

Daphne was caught in the moment and the tone of his voice had been so soft. She had smiled as she moved his feet to the floor and stood in front of him to offer her hands to steady his removal from the chair. “Daphne! Please call an orderly for that my dear. You will hurt yourself.” Nurse Jackson had stepped in the room carrying Victor’s food tray. She had frowned seeing Daphne trying to use her body to lift a man that was twice her size.

Daphne flushed. “I really don’t use much of my body except to allow Victor to pull himself up Karen, really.” To demonstrate Victor moved forward and up using only the minimal amount of strength to stand straight up and peer over at the middle age woman that was jealous of the younger nurse. 

“Thank you my dear. I shall be fine now.” Turning to Karen he nodded to her briefly and frowned deeply. “I do so enjoy your company my dear. You have no idea how much I look forward to your visits.” Turning to sit on the side of his bed he turned his attention to the charge nurse standing in the doorway still holding his tray.

Daphne realized she was waiting for her to come and take his tray. Daphne made sure her charge was safely resting on the edge of his bed, turned with a bright smile to the dour faced Karen and took the tray. “Thank you Miss Jackson.” She turned not seeing the dark and contemptuous look that just hit the center of Daphne’s back before Karen Jackson turned and moved out of the door and from sight.

“I really do not like that woman my dear, she is rude to you and obviously very jealous.” Victor watched Daphne flush with embarrassment, tucking her chin and push his tray table over to in front of him. “She resents you and may be a danger to your well-being my sweet Daphne.” 

Daphne kept herself busy with uncovering a big thick steak, baked potato and salad for her charge. She was amazed that he was able to have a gourmet meal delivered for his enjoyment for every meal unlike some of the other patients here who enjoyed the pureed meals served to them through a straw. Arranging his knife and fork and tucking a linen napkin into his shirt she looked up with wide innocent eyes. “I feel sorry for her Victor. She is an unhappy woman that is trapped in a job she hates and she liked to project her anger and angst onto those of us that are here to learn and help sweet people like you.”

He reached for his knife and fork and holding them in a European fashion carved into the rare juicy steak. Daphne was amazed at how dexterous he had become with his prosthetic hand that looked like a wooden hand covered with a black leather glove. Regardless of his lost limb he was able to manage the fork in the tightened fingers of his fake hand while with the precision of a surgeon he could use the knife with his good hand. “She is dangerous.” He remarked before putting a nice sweet piece of meat into his mouth. “You should watch yourself around her. She will bode you no good.” He began to chew the meat with a drizzle of juice flowing down his chin. 

Daphne smiled leaned over lifted his napkin and wiped his chin. “You know if I were a young man I would carry you off and make you a very happy and wealthy woman. You could be my queen to my empire my dearest Daphne, you give a poor old man great joy with your presence.” He paused in the act of cutting another piece of meat to peer at her through those thick glasses. He watched her intently waiting for a spark of recognition to light those liquid brown eyes that only held innocence and compassion for his broken and fading body. 

Daphne paused in the middle of cleaning his face., her gaze went distant. His voice was soft and seductive tone, “Daphne take my glasses off.” Without realizing what she was doing, Daphne dropped the napkin lifted her fingers to his glasses and eased them off. “Look into my eyes my dear.” Daphne peered into his watery faded blue eyes gazing intently to see eyes that saw more than she thought, they were not milk covered as she anticipated they should be with cataracts clouding his vision. 

“Remember Daphne, in dreams and through time, remember and lead me to the one I seek. Find Quentin Collins.” He watched the dawn of realization cover her features. She was remembering from the past from the darkness and shadows of a long forgotten past. “Very good Daphne, now forget. Forget until I need you to remember again.” Once again he watched her eyes cloud over and the shadows covered her memories and she was now as she was before. Smiling at him and dabbing his mouth with the edge of his napkin. 

“There all better now.” She sat back in the chair near the bed. “Now I need to go check on my other patients but before you retire for the night, I will come and check on you.” Daphne had stood moved to the door turned back and smiled at the elderly gentleman sitting on the edge of his bed enjoying his feast.

 

* * * *

 

1967  
Vicki sat on the edge of the sofa, she was so tired and all she wanted was to go to bed and forget this horrible day had even happened. Sitting next to her pressing his leg to her leg was Barnabas. He studied her bent hand, her back curved over and her hands clasped together in front of her. He was not particularly fond of her mode of dress; it seemed to degrade her statues by wearing such garb. “Perhaps you should retire my dear. You look exhausted. I regret we shall not spend this night together but somehow I feel your rest is far more important than my own needs or desires to share the night with you.” 

Vicki shook her head. “No I promised Mrs. Stoddard I would wait for her and Sheriff Patterson before I retired.” She leaned back folding her arms over her chest, resting her head against the back of the sofa. “Barnabas, you took a really hard hit, are you sure you are ok?” She rolled her head to the side to look at the man that had become her everything in her life. She knew there was something weighing on his mind. He had been so quiet since their arrival.

He leaned back and slumped down next to her to be on the same level as she was. He rolled his head to peer into her concern filled gaze. “I am fine my dear. There was a concussion and I shall be up for a while, but I am perfectly fine.” He smiled lifted his hand to brush her hair back from her face and cup her chin with the gentleness of his caress. “My concern was for you. I have decided my dear; I do not wish to wait much longer for our marriage. I was thinking of a summer wedding. Perhaps we could have it in the garden of Collinwood.” 

Vicki sighed and smiled, “I saw us having a Christmas wedding.” She said wistfully. Sliding her gaze to his she moved her cheek against his caress. “But if you wish to have a summer wedding I will be happy to see if we can plan it for summer. She shuddered at the wailing of the wind that was still batting ice rocks at the glass panes of the windows to the drawing room.

“You saw what happens in the winter here and especially around Christmas my dear. If we wished to have a more formal wedding with attendees we could not expect them to travel in weather like this.” He nodded to the window. 

“No I suppose not. I just thought it would be pretty with all the colorful lights and a blanket of white snow covering the ground as a perfect backdrop to our wedding. But I could also see the garden full of roses and being serenaded by a cacophony of blue jays, whippoorwills and morning doves happily enjoying the nice weather.” Vicki could see the grass green and lush, the gardens full of flowers and the heady scent of their fragrance accenting their wedding. “I was going to ask Carolyn, Julia, Maggie and Amy to be a part of the bridal party. I suppose I could ask Roger to give me away.” 

Vicki’s voice had grown soft with her thoughts and they were beginning to jumble together with her thoughts about her impending wedding coming up in six months time. “I need a wedding gown. We need to make out a guest list and I suppose we should think about where you want to go for our honeymoon.” She smiled and flushed at the thought of consummating her marriage with this man at her side. 

Hearing the door to the foyer open, she sat up and glanced tiredly to the double doors that now stood open and allowed a rush of cold wind and dampness to follow whomever had entered the foyer. Hearing their voices Vicki sighed, it was Sheriff Patterson and Mrs. Stoddard. They more than likely had a more difficult time making their way home.

Quentin had been more adept and helpful with his skills navigating the treacherous roads home. They had only narrowly missed on nasty slid off but Quentin’s quick reflexes had made sure they kept to the roadway. Vicki was more exhausted from the drive home than from her ordeal with the whack-a-doddle Elias . Although it had been trying and she was going to be sore for a week from all the bruises he had inflicted on her poor battered body, she was a lot more mentally accepting of what happened than the other poor girls who were still suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. 

She had over heard some nurses speaking about two of the girls wanting to defend Elias for what he had done and they had called them victims of Stockholm syndrome. This was horrifying to think they would willingly submit to his baser needs and desires and then defend what he had done. She had seen what he was capable of in that room that held those dead women’s bodies. She shuddered to think what perverse acts he had used on their bodies. 

Folding her arms over her chest she waited for Mrs. Stoddard and Sheriff Patterson to enter the room. Vicki was not sure what was going to happen but that little sixth sense she had always depended on her innate feelings to bring her through more horrific experiences than this one had presented. At least in this one experience she had more control over what was happening until he pulled the life force sucking card on her. 

Elizabeth Collins Stoddard breezed into the room with red cheeks and looking chilled to the bone from the ice storm that was encasing the whole of Collinsport in its icy grip. George Patterson followed behind her at a slower more sedate pace. Both of them moved to the fireplace to warm their chilled bodies and look at the girl sitting tiredly on the sofa.

“Good, you waited up for us. Vicki, there is something that George and I both need to tell you.” Elizabeth was becoming agitated and looked to George for support. Vicki had known that Elizabeth was very much attached to George Patterson; he was up here at a drop of a hat at her beck and call when she needed help. 

Vicki had caught him looking with longing at Mrs. Stoddard and had long suspected that George Patterson had a crush on her employer. This was confirmed when she noted that George’s hand snaked out to take Elizabeth’s hand in his and turn his very serious and very worried gaze on the young woman sitting on the sofa. He had always thought she looked a lot like Elizabeth had at that tender age when he was head over heels in love with her and they had found comfort and love in each other’s arms so long ago. 

“Vicki, what Liz is trying to tell you and what I just found out tonight is that you are . . . “

“No George let me, this is what I needed to have done a long time ago.” Elizabeth Collins Stoddard took a deep breath and Vicki’s stomach tightened up. This was serious or they would have come right out and said what needed to be said.

“Vicki, twenty-four years ago, George and I were lovers. We were young and in love and we found ourselves trapped during one of those famous storms in the fishing shack by the beach. It was summer and we were planning our lives with each other. We wanted to become engaged but my father was very strict and would not permit me to even consider tying myself down with anyone until I finished college.”

George cleared his throat and nodded, “My father was pretty much at the mercy of Mr. Collins and he had warned me to stay away from the daughter of Collinwood. But neither of us could stay away we were young and rebellious.” He looked apologetically to Elizabeth. 

Barnabas knew what was about to be divulged so he had reached for Vicki’s hand clutching it close to his leg he waited and watched Vicki for any sign that she knew what was about to be told. Not seeing anything but dread and confusion at being the recipient of these two star crossed lover’s story she was waiting for them to continue.

Elizabeth leaned into George taking strength from his body and support from him emotionally. “Summer ended and George went away to college and I discovered on the eve of my departure for Finishing School in Paris, that I was pregnant. I was scared to death over what my father might do if he found out that George was the father of my child. So, I made some very elaborate plans with the help of our family butler Hanscombe at the time, he found an unwed mother’s home and under the guise of being his sister and her name I was sent off to this home.”

Vicki could hear the emotional filled voice of Mrs. Stoddard. “My father thought I was going to Paris and we even arranged for Hanscombe’s sister to take my place in Paris, while I was pretending to be her in New York.” Liz’s voice choked with her emotions. “I was going to let George know I was pregnant with his child and when I called his house to get the phone number of his dorm, his mother told me George was engaged to be married and that unknown young girls should leave him alone.” 

George cleared his throat. “My mother had emotional issues and she thought she was protecting me from one of my old girlfriends that had been harassing me for a couple of years. She thought by telling this story that it would discourage Rachel from pursuing her interests in me, she did not know it was Liz on the phone.” 

Liz had tears in her eyes and began to sniff lightly. George handed her a clean kerchief and put an arm around her shoulder. “I was of course devastated by the news that George was engaged after our brief affair so I spent the rest of my pregnancy waiting for the birth of our child.” Liz felt her body begin to tremble. “I had a baby girl. I knew I could not keep her so I placed on the doorstep of a foundling home with a note.”

Vicki’s eyes widened she sat bolt upright and said, “Her name is Victoria, I cannot take care of her.” Vicki stood up looked at Mrs. Stoddard who looked at her with such a longing and a need for acceptance for what she had done and a plea in her gaze that sought forgiveness. Liz nodded when Vicki had spoken the words that were indelibly burned into her memory. 

Vicki was feeling a rush of so many emotions that the range was off the scale. She now knew who her parents were and why she was put up for adoption but was never adopted. She had figured she was a war baby abandoned by an unwed mother that would never be able to be with the man that had made her because he was either married or had died in the war. 

Elizabeth was not one to stand on ceremony but also not ready to rush forward and drag her into an embrace that may not be welcomed. “Please Vicki say something. Just don’t say you hate me.” Elizabeth felt the warmth of George’s hug as he gaze held Vicki’s tragic looking figure. 

“I don’t hate you, either of you. I just feel numb and hurt. I am not sure how I feel. I just. . . “ She needed time to think this through and she needed to process what she had just learned. It was rushing over her with such intensity that she turned peered at Barnabas then moved out of the room, grabbing her coat she slid it on and opened the door heading out into the cold dark night that embraced her with its icy cloying clutch. Her mind was not wanting to function, her feelings were starting to feel very much like her body, cold and ice encrusted. 

Moving with no set direction of where she wanted to go, she moved forward to the woods and into the darkening shadows of the trees. She felt they mocked her with every step she took. Moving along lost in her own thoughts of feeling betrayed, hurt and angry, she paused to look up through the ice encrusted branches that bowed under the weight of the burden they carried. Her newfound senses she had alerted her to the cracking sound. 

With the wind whipping and the ice hitting the trees she was not alert to the threat that was so obvious to her tortured senses. She glanced up at the loud crack and saw the limb plummeting towards her. She stood waiting for it to impale her when she felt her body knocked aside and she landed hard on the ice covered ground.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The incident had happened so quickly that Vicki felt her scream locked in silence; she opened her mouth to scream and felt her body slammed to the ground to land with a oomph winding her on impact. There was a heaviness that lay on her body pinning her to the spot a harsh deep voice whispered in her ear. “Lie sill damnit or you could be impaled. Listen!” Another loud crack followed the first and then another heavy ice laden branch followed behind the first. 

Vicki was at an angle she could not see who had her pinned for her own safety to the ground. She just felt the heaviness of the body and could feel the warmth of his breath against her face. The voice was soft and silky now as the danger passed. “You smell of death.” She finally noticed he had a slight accent somewhat familiar but not quite identifiable. 

She could feel the damp cold chill starting to creep into her body and spoke softly. “You are crushing me is it safe to move and get up?” She did not want to become a permanent part of the ground with her coat now sticking to the ground freezing into place. 

There was a brief second she felt his body shift then cover her again as another limb began to break, curling her into his body, he rolled them away from the newly broken limb that dangled precariously overhead making them its immediate target upon its descent to the ground. Together they rolled from the dangers that suspended overhead and then crashed to the spot they had occupied earlier. 

Scooping her up, the stranger with compelling dark eyes lifted her over his shoulders and bolted for a less dangerous place with some shelter, unfortunately for Vicki, it was no where that was familiar to her. He jogged along the craggy pathway that led towards Widow’s Hill but at the last moment, he jogged off to an unknown pathway. 

Vicki watched the backside of the rescuer as she dangled over his shoulder head down watching the ground and his equal footing as he navigated the pathway down the hill and onto the sandy ice covered beach area. He carried her to an opening of a cave and into the darkness out of the driving ice storm that did not show signs of lessening its onslaught and ultimate goal to cover the entire town of Collinsport in ice. 

Moving deeper into the cave Vicki felt the coldness from the cave but not the wind and ice that had been pelting them. She no longer had direct sight from her vantage and waited for him to stop moving and lower her to the ground. That is when it hit her she might have a broken rib. The sudden dropping of her body to the ground caused a sharp pain and sudden intake of her breath. She laid still waiting to get her breathing under control.

She could hear him moving about the cave with some degree of familiarity. Slowly she pushed herself up and waited for him to speak so she could pin point him in their shelter. Feeling the cave wall behind her she scooted back to place her back to the wall and looked into the deepening shadowed darkness. Then she heard his strike a match and saw a small blaze begin in the center of a ring of stones. The smell of smoke an some heat began to ebb its way slowly to her location.

As the blaze took hold, she watched him carefully put a couple of dried logs on the fire and they took fire quickly. That was when she finally got a good look at the man that had rescued her from certain death and now tried to bring some heat to their surroundings. He was a man close to her age, his hair was dark and curly, his profile would be considered aristocratic with a log aquiline nose and strong jawline. He wore a knit hat over his head but his dark curly hair plastered to the side of his head and face.

He reached over into a large trunk and pulled a blanket from the interior. Moving to the spot he had dropped Vicki he threw a blanket over her body. “You might want to get out of those damp clothing or you will get sick. I am going back into the cave a little further to find you some dry clothing to change into. That fire will be roaring shortly and it will be a lot warmer there than over here.”

Vicki looked up trying to peer into his eyes, she was not sure if she was in trouble or if she had been rescued. She had to admit he was right she did need to get out of the ice encrusted pants and coat. The dampness had soaked through her coat and was now laying against her body like a cloying damp shroud. She winced slight as she pushed herself to a standing position. He frowned seeing her wince.

“You injured yourself?” He reached forward to check her side where she clutched and bent to try and get her breath. Pressing expert fingertips to the spot she held he watched her flinch, closed her eyes and gasp. “You may have a broken rib.” His tone was professional and matter of fact. Turning to the trunk he rummaged into the trunk and found an ace bandage. “Lift your top.”

Vicki hesitated feeling shy around the stranger. He smiled, “My dear if I wanted to do anything other than bind your broken rib I would simply have hit you over the head caveman style and drug you off by that glorious black hair of yours and had my way with you, now raise the damn sweat shirt so we can keep you from catching pneumonia.” 

Vicki flushed deeply then taking care to maintain her modesty she lifted the end of the sweatshirt and allowed him to put his arms around her wrapping her with the ace bandage. Once he had her bound tightly he turned back to rummage through the trunk and found a pair of knickers and a heavy jacket. Pitching them to her he spoke without looking up. “Over that way are some rocks that will allow you to change.” He kept his eyes averted stoking up the fire and leaning over for a lantern. 

“Who are you?” Vicki took the clothing and moved to the area he indicated turning her back on him she began to disrobe. He glanced up and smiled looking at her shapely slender figure outlined in the shadows from the fire. Seeing her turn back he quickly tucked his chin once again averting his gaze.

“No one important, just a drifter that saw a very foolish young lady heading for certain danger and possibly death. I saw you run form the house so I figured you did not wish to return there and as this is my place I have been living in, I figured I could give you a safe harbor to shelter in until you feel up to going back to the big fancy house on the hill.”

Vicki could smell the age in the clothing and surmised that at one time this had been a hiding place for some privateer that had left trunks and other valuables to them in this cave and wondered if she were now wearing bedbugs or other vermin. The age of the clothing appeared to have been well kept despite its exposure to weather. “In pretty good shape aint they?” He said softly seeing her wrinkle her nose. 

“I did wonder why they had not dry rotted.” She moved gingerly aware of her pain back to a spot near the fire and sat close to get warm. Looking over at her clothing now draped over the stones to dry she hoped they would dry soon enough so she could get dressed in her own clothing. She had to admit nothing seemed to be attacking her sensitive skin and the only smell was an occasional smell of mothballs and age from the clothing. 

“Probably because they were stored deep in a air tight water tight area of the cave I discovered a couple of days ago. It would seem to me that by being kept that way they would not dry rot or invite critters to camp out in them.” 

Vicki gave him a slight grimace and sniffed the clothing. ”They smell of mothballs, one would think they had been in someone’s attic for some years.” She huddled close to the fire tucking her chin and watching the flames shift and change colors as the heat found new places to devour on the dry wood. The scent of the smoke filled but did not overwhelm their safe zone inside the cave. Looking around she saw that the smoke was spiraling up and appearing to absorb into the crevasses of the cave. ‘I see a natural vent for the fire.” 

She spoke to break the uneasy silence that had fallen between them. “Yah, I noticed that the first night I stayed here and its water tight so whatever demon that set the ice devil on us cannot send that cold icy grip into this cave.” He poked the fir e again. “You hungry?” 

Vicki shook her head; she had lost any appetite she might have had earlier when Elizabeth Stoddard and George Patterson told her of her parentage. “No thank you. I am not hungry.” She wrapped her arms around her waste hugging herself close.

“Want to talk about it?” He poked the fire again glancing over at the pitiful figure slumped close to the fire.

“Not really, it is something I need to work through.” She sighed softly, stood and began to pace the cave floor kicking up small pools of dust clouds. 

“Why not sit down, you can think just as well sitting than just kicking up the sand and making a dust cloud.” He moved to wooden crate fishing through it to find some soup cans. Lifting the can of soup, he reached for a pot and then a can opener. “Well I am hungry” 

“You are not planning on cooking over that fire are you?’ She paused to look at the fire and then to him holding the can of soup

Standing he moved to a table that had been set against the wall. On the stove was a Coleman stove. “Nope, got me a grill here.” He made quick order of putting the pan over the burner, lighting the burner and then opening the can of soup to pour it into the pan. Setting the flame he smiled stepping back. “Now that should take about ten minutes to get my supper ready.” He slapped his hands together. “By the way my name is Aristide Lazlo, and you are?” He smiled looking at the girl that now looked like a street urchin. 

She smiled shyly, Nice to meet you Mr. Lazlo, I am Victoria Winters. . . “ She paused she was actually Victoria Winters Collins now. She was just not used to saying her new last name. 

“Victoria Winters. .. ? Were you going to add another name to your name?” He smiled looking pointedly to her engagement ring. 

“Actually that is the crux of my problem. For most my life I was known as just Victoria Winters but tonight.” She fell silent again as she thought about why she had been so upset and what had sent her into the ice storm in such an emotional mess. “I was raised in a foundling home. Then I was offered a job here in that house on the hill. I had always wondered who my parents were.”

Lazlo smiled leaned back against the cave wall and nodded. “Tonight you were told that you are a Collins?” He pulled his legs up to his chest. Watching her reaction to his summation.

“How did you know the name of the family that lives on the hill?” She turned to peer at the man sitting on the floor of the cave watching her much as a predator watched his prey. She saw the easy slow smile spread across his face.

“Look I am in Collinsport Maine. Now it stands to reason that the largest most impressive looking house that sits like a castle on a cliff overlooking the expanse of the city and the ocean would belong to the creator of the town. Now the fact I have been living here in this cave for over two weeks, I know I am reclusive but I am not dead much like those in town believe live in that house up there who are visited nightly by such things as ghosts.”

It sounded reasonable enough. “Oh.” Was all she could muster and feeling the chill from the air waft with an occasional gust of wind from outside, she moved back to sit close to the fire, while he got up to stir his soup. 

“So what happened?” He glanced over at the bent head of his guest. He felt sorry for her and waited patiently for her to collect her thoughts.

“I guess, I was not prepared to hear what my mother had to say. I have been asking her now for over three years since I have been here, if she knew who my parents were and now she confesses she is my mother and my father was with her when they told me.” Aristides shook his head stirred his soup one more time tasted the heat of his meal then poured it into a cup. 

Carefully, he reseated himself to the ground then blew on the fluid in his cup and took a small sip. “So, you have waited all your life to find out your family’s identity and now you have it and you are upset? Why?” Again he blew on his cup and sipped.

Vicki had to think about his questions. “I guess because I felt betrayed and tonight has not been the best night of my life. I was nearly made the bride and raped by a demon Incubus. My fiancé nearly died at the hands of the Incubus’ sister and I know this sounds crazy but that is the truth of this matter. I suppose it was all very overwhelming.” 

He glanced at her in askance as she explained what her day had been and spoke softly. “Did you just hear yourself? That sounds pretty far out. Talking about demon incubus and the likes.” 

She looked over at him seeing he had a twinkle in his eye and a smirk on his lips. “I know it sounds crazy but there are a lot of supernatural crazy things that are happening in this town and have been for sometime. As far as what the town’s people say, I can assure you there are such things as ghosts. Some do haunt the halls of Collinwood.”

“Oh is that what the great manor house is called Collinwood?” He sipped and frowned his soup was now a tepid tasting liquid no longer warming his stomach.

“Yes, it was built by Jeremiah Collins back in 1797.” She sighed looked to the direction the great house would have sat from her location and then looked at the fire. “I actually met him.” She said absently.

“Really?” He sounded skeptical. Looking at the cup he sighed stood moved to pour it back into the pan and turned on the stove again to heat up his soup. “You met a man that lived in 1797. Now that does sound crazy. Not that I am saying you are not entitled to be half baked from all you have told me so far it sounds like you got your answer and now your upset. Don’t you want to be a Collins?” 

She had to think for a moment, she loved the thought of being a Collins had dreamed about it since her arrival in this town. “No, I would be very honored to be a member of one of the oldest, wealthiest families in New England it’s just that . . . “ she trailed off lost in her own thoughts.

“Did she have a good reason for not wishing you to know who your parents were?” He stirred his soup glanced over at the woman sitting by his fire. Hunkered over like she was with her arms wrapped around her shabbily dressed form. She was it appeared intently studying the flames of his slowly dying down fire. Sighing he moved to gently drop another log on the fire and went back to stirring his soup 

Vicki nodded, “I suppose she thought it was the only solution to the problem she had to face. I can imagine how she felt, finding out she was pregnant a stern father and the times were very unforgiving for anyone finding out they were unwed and pregnant. I mean we are a bit more progressive in this day an age.”

He chuckled. “You are talking about what twenty five years ago or less?” He thought a moment; “I suppose it would have been viewed scandalous by their standards, however I think we still view it scandalous. I think we as a people are becoming more tolerant of such things as a woman being promiscuous and getting pregnant and dropping kids like you would a litter. But we are in a baby boom era now so soon after a major world war.” 

Vicki knew her history and knew usually after a major war the populace would experience a major baby boom and now she would be considered a part of that generation. “I can actually see her side of why she did what she felt she had to do to preserve the family name. I just know how I felt growing up wanting so badly to have a mother and a father and to be adopted and I was never adopted.”

“Were you beaten? Were you mistreated? Did you not get an education? I mean you must have some kind of education to be a governess and to teach. I think you had it better than you realized.” He re-poured his now boiling soup back into his cup and grimaced it would need a couple of minutes to cool and the gurgle of his stomach reminded him why he wanted this soup so badly. Palming the cup in his hands he moved to sit down to the now nicely warming fire.

“No I was not beaten, I was lonely and I was afraid sometimes at night when I wished my mother would come in and tell me everything was going to be fine.” She glanced up at the man and noted he was very attractive in a mysterious sort of way. He smiled at her then blew on his soup.

“Well we all are lonely, I don’t find my isolation so bad. I rather enjoy my solitary nomadic way of life thus why I choose to share a cave with all sorts of night creatures and others that are non human.” He sipped then sighed, the warmth was wonderful; the slightly abrasive feeling his tongue now displayed told him it was still too hot and he had better be careful not to burn his tongue. 

“I suppose you are right. My father did not know she was pregnant with me and I guess if I look at it from her point of view, she must have been scared to death to be so far from the security of her home, her mother, and pregnant in a home waiting for my birth. She kept me for a hour and then left me on the front doorstep of a foundling home door step.” 

“So, is this something that is surprising? I mean if you ask me she put you where she felt you would be loved, cared for and protected unlike some that are abandoned in a dumpster or trashcan and left to die.” His voice had edged with his description of more dire circumstances and it made her ashamed that she was feeling sorry for herself. 

Glancing up to his face she noted he had grown distant with the uttering of those words. His eyes had taken on a sad lost look and she surmised he might be speaking from his own personal experience and she was immediately sympathetic to his situation. “Why do you say that? Were you abandoned at birth?” She had to ask. 

“No my mother died in child birth and my rearing was left to my family who was more of a vagabond and traveling type family. We never stayed in one place for too long. I guess because we were never really welcomed or trusted.” He sipped his drink and it was then that Victoria realized he was a gypsy. 

“I am sorry your mother died.” She yawned and felt her eyelids grow heavy. The exhaustion was setting in and she curled close to the fire and closed her eyes. Lazlo smiled covered her and stepped back and looked around the cave.

“Did you see all of the Count?” He spoke to the air as he stoked the fire again. A spectral voice floated over the cave with its sinister tone. 

“I saw and now we begin Aristides, be sure to let them know at Collinwood she is in the cave. Then erase any evidence of your occupation from that cave and join me here at Wyndcliff when weather permits.” The voice faded and Lazlo looked with a degree of sympathy to the young woman that lay sleeping by the fire. He could not very well take the fire from her, so he left her sleeping and began to systematically remove any sign of his occupation leaving a book of matches in her hand hoping she would believe that she had built the fire herself. 

******

Barnabas paced the foyer watching the front door then looking at an overwrought and tearful Elizabeth. George was on the phone with his officers. “Look Chris, I need some help up here, she just took off and I am afraid with the conditions as they are, she will be hypothermic before much longer.” 

Barnabas paced to the door, grabbing his coat. He could try to locate her through the connection they held. Opening the door he was surprised to see a dark figure standing at the door. “Yes?” he could not make out any features hidden under the heavy coat and hood. 

“Um there is a young woman camped out in a cave beneath the cliff there. I was worried about her because she seemed upset and I don’t think she should be out in this weather its really cold. Thought you might want to go check on her.” He nodded to Barnabas and turned to the night and was soon gone. 

“Sheriff Patterson! I know where Vicki went. Do you wish to come with me?” He waited for George to hang up the phone. George was by his side moving out the door. “Come we will take the care down to the beach and we can move up to the cave on foot.” Barnabas slid into the cold vehicle his mind filled with anxiety.

“Some stranger said he saw her going into that cave that sits just below Widows Hill, tides are not up so hopefully we can get her out of there before the tides move in. He thought if they could not get to her by that means then he would be forced to show George the secret tunnels that were a networked through out the two houses. 

George sighed he had not thought about the tides at this point but for this stupid ice storm it may be wreaking havoc with the tides and the beach could be flooded by now with ice and rising tides., His worse fears were realized when he saw that his way to the beach road was covered with water and ice. “Well it looks like we are going to have to bring her out by foot.”

Barnabas shook his head. “Not necessary, come lets go to the Old House, there is another way to that cave through the tunnels that Joshua had installed during the war. He used a lot of different places for storage of weapons and gun powder.”

George smiled, “I knew that house held more secrets than that one room that Matthew Morgan had held Vicki in a long time ago.” George turned the car around with care and drove to the old house. Barnabas led him down into the cellar through to the first passage that linked the two houses and had many paths that led towards Widow’s Hill. 

The first sign they were getting close was the smell of smoke and the area had grown warm from the fire that had obviously been built. Moving up to the tiny form huddled in her soaked jogging suit and coat they found Vicki sleeping soundly by the fire. With gentling hands Barnabas bent to lift her. She opened her eyes peered up into the face of the man she loved, smiled, closed her eyes and laid her head against his shoulder with a softly uttered, “I love you.”


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Vicki curled into the warmth of the body that held her tightly. Her head rested against the security of the shoulder that offered support. Still feeling the chill and in that part of sleep that leaves one vulnerable and insecure, she muttered, “Barnabas?” She opened one eye looked up at the sad concerned filled eyes of the man she had chosen to love. 

“Yes, Vicki, what is it?” He stroked the dampness of her hair from her face tilted his head on his pillow and looked deep into her eyes. His thumb moved over her cheek to her lips. He wanted to lean down and kiss her but knew that to do so would possibly upset the serenity that she was feeling in her hour of need. 

“How did I get here?” She cuddled closer to his body seeking the warmth of his body. She had a chill that was so deep that she thought she would never shake the feeling of being so cold. Closing her eyes she tried to block out the thoughts that were conflicting her. She thought if she could press closer to him and take the warmth from him, it would dispel the feeling of loss and betrayal. 

“We found you in a cave under widows hill, apparently you sough refuge there.” His hand moved in a steady rhythm up and down her arms. It was his attempt to warm her chilled body. 

“No, that is not right. I remember being taken there by a man. He saved me from a falling limb. It would have impaled me had he not knocked me to the ground out of its way. He said he saw me run from the house so figured I did not want to return to Collinwood so he brought me to where he said he had been living for the past two weeks.” Her words were interjected with the chattering sounds of her teeth as another round of bone chilling cold engulfed her. 

“We found no one in that cave or any sign of anyone other than you in that cave my dear, are you sure you are not imagining a savior in a cold storm?” His words had been laced with tenderness in an attempt to not upset her any further than she already was. She was obviously still suffering from her shock and experience of being trapped in the ice storm with a feeling of nowhere to go. 

Vicki pushed from the comfort and warmth of the body that had been offering her support and care to peer incredulously into his concerned filled gaze. “No, I am not imagining it. Every time someone says I imagine something, it turns out I did see what I saw. No one believed me when I said I saw Maggie in the cemetery that day and she was there with Julia, no one believed me when I said I saw the little girl at the top of the stairs and it turns out it was Sarah, you did not believe me when I said I heard a little girl singing in Josette’s room and it was Sarah. So do not tell me, I am imagining a gypsy man caring for me in the cave!” 

He saw how upset she was growing so in an attempt to calm her down he drew her resistant form back into his embrace. “I admit there were times I doubted what you said you saw, but at no time was it intended as a malicious intent to besmirch your veracity my dear.” He felt her relax into his hold and he sighed.

I am just saying a stranger told us where to find you. When we got to the cave we found that the only occupant was you my dear and it appeared you were the one that had built a fire and had fallen asleep by the fire.” He stroked her hair from her face peering into he gaze. “As quickly as he was there he was gone into the storm, so I knew exactly where you were and we, Sheriff Patterson and I went to bring you home.”

The word home hit her hard. “Home.” Her eyes grew distant and sadness filled her. Barnabas leaned over and kissed her forehead. It was an unconscious act to offer her comfort. “Why did she wait until now to tell me?” Vicki was still feeling the pains of the announcement that had been made earlier. 

Barnabas held her close, “Darling Victoria, do you honestly think she intended to never tell you who you were? You I don’t think have taken the time to process the information. Elizabeth explained she did not wish to destroy lives by making an announcement, she even brought you here much to my pleasure and delight or I may have never met you and we would not be getting ready to be married.” 

Vicki began to push past the pain of her feeling betrayed and was now trying to think through the information that had been given to her. “You do realize that you have a fully made family now. Not only is Carolyn your sister. In addition to that and from what George says you have two bothers and a sister on his side. Do you honestly think that Elizabeth wanted to break that news to him when his wife was dying?” 

Vicki was beginning to feel shame over her reacting the way she had. “Elizabeth’s father was very strict, he would have brought ruination down on George and his father had his position as sheriff because of Jamison. She knew her father better than anyone. I can see why she went off to have you and to bring you home? That would have caused a horrible stir in Collinsport. She would have been shamed and condemned.” 

The more Barnabas helped her reason out the why, the more she became open and sympathetic to the when. Breaking her hold from Barnabas, she rolled from their bed to move to the fireplace and peer into the fire. He was right and she had over reacted to the information. The more she thought about it the more she became to realize she now had what she had always dreamed of having most of her life. Not only was she a Collins, she was marrying a distant relative that was a Collins. Not just a Collins but one of the originals from the first family of Collinwood.

Tears of frustration and shamed filled her and she collapsed to the chair in front of the fire and wept. “Barnabas, you said Josette had your child and she went away. Why did you act as though the first time you met her was when she arrived at Collinwood?” She glanced to her future husband and waited for him to speak.

Barnabas sat up and twisted around, dangling his legs off the side of the bed. “I suppose you need to know Victoria, I was sent to Martinique to make the first contact with the duPres Family. Father sent me to negotiate the transaction of the pledge between Joshua and Jeremiah. You do realize that Josette was not his first wife, he had been married before and Jeremiah’s wife had died in child birth along with his child.”

Barnabas drew on his housecoat and moved to sit on the stool in front of her. Reaching forward he took her long slender fingers in his warm hands noting how cold she felt still. “We met for the first time and part of my intentions were to teach her the basic of English and open up trade between her father and my father.” He looked down and sighed. 

“When I first saw her sitting on the front veranda with that enchanting far away look in her eyes I was to say the least smitten with the then eighteen year old daughter of the plantation. When I first met her, I thought she was a flighty young lady. As we became more intimate with one another and I got to know her, I found her enchanting. Then one night we kissed and that one kiss led to another kiss and we found ourselves thrown together in each other’s arms. The next thing I know we had consummated our passion.” 

Barnabas looked down. “Like poor George Patterson, we did not know of the existence of a child. I also had betrayed my Uncle. It was after all his future wife I had just taken from him and then I was summoned back home. I had left a tearful Josette on the docks that day with a promise to return. That did happen but when I arrived back to the plantation I was informed that Josette had left for Paris and I was given a nights passion with her maid Angelique. I had left the plantation to visit the other islands and upon my return, there were you. You were there Victoria on the porch looking so sweet and innocent.”

Barnabas stood. “Somehow during that time I thought you had traded places with Josette that night but in fact you were present in the place of the other Victoria. I knew then I would need to separate my feelings for Josette because she was for Jeremiah and not me. Unfortunately, Angelique also had formed an attachment for me. I suppose when you share a part of each other you form an attachment. With Angelique it was all one sided. She was a distraction for what I wanted but could not have. With you, it was a light innocent flirtation. Something that quickly became a need to protect you.”

Vicki sighed deeply, she was remembering that frightening night she had been transported back for a second time for the purpose of saving Ben Stokes. She knew she had to fight her attraction for the man that now sat before her. Vicki pushed up from her chair and walked to the fireplace looking into the flames with a distant thoughtful look. “You should know that at that time, I met Jeremiah on the beach and we shared a moment of intimacy. It was nothing more than a kiss.”

Barnabas looked at her in shock. “Is that the reason Aunt Abigail became so adamant about you being a seductress and a bad influence?” He watched her with her back to him. She tightened her hold around her body. 

She nodded her head slowly; those memories were painful enough without having to relive them. “Yes, she thought I was there to seduce you and your brother.” She rubbed her arms, her mind drifting back to the past and her experiences. “Your Aunt Abigail was determined to see me branded a witch and driven from all your lives. Your father prevented further harm which I suppose it was suppose to play out the way it did because I was in the right place at the right time to save Ben’s life and preserve Elliott’s.” 

Barnabas moved behind her rubbing her arms, leaning over to rest his chin on her shoulder. “It was as the guides directed it to be. What we must do now is reunite you with your mother and father, allow you a chance to get to know your other siblings. You should be happy to know your family history and you share that history with me. Together we will be what a Collins epitomizes.” 

Vicki smiled, “You make it sound like we are the super race and seek world domination. I somehow do not see you as a villain bent on the destruction of mankind seeking to replace it with a superior race.” 

He wrapped his arms around her pulling her against his body. “True, but if you consider how important the continuation of our line was at the time that Angelique went on her vengeful rampage we were nearly destroyed by her need to teach me a lesson.”

Vicki nodded, “She was very vengeful but you directed her to Peter and his attentions. It seems to me that Angelique used him as an indirect way to destroy what she could not have or be.” 

Barnabas turned her to face him. “She is no longer a part of our lives and for that we should be grateful. There is nothing left for us except a bright future and do you know what I see when I look into your eyes?” he smiled pulled her close caught her gaze and peered with such a deep sense of longing and a concentrated intensity that Vicki felt her breath taken.

“No, I would hope you see the light of the love I have for you and will always have for you.” He smiled his own love shining forth through his gaze.

“I see the love you have for me but I also see a child, our children when I look in your eyes.” He had never thought since this whole ordeal with Angelique began nearly two hundred years ago that he could ever hope of the thought of having children with anyone. He had been possessed to find his Josette and then found out too late she had his child, what was it that Natalie had said? She had a daughter and this daughter, his daughter, that a wealthy family of noble standing had been given his daughter?

She smiled leaned up to place a kiss on his lips. “I want to go back to Collinwood, but not tonight. I am exhausted. Perhaps that is why I reacted the way I did to the news. We had just come from that bizarre situation with Elliott’s neighbor. I guess I was not in the best frame of mind to hear that the woman I had asked repeatedly if she knew anything about my past kept denying it until tonight.” 

Barnabas guided her back to the bed, “Come lets both lie down and just hold each other. When daylight comes, then together we can face the new facts of your life and start planning our life together.

******

Aristides moved into the room at Wyndcliff looking at Victor. “Is it done?” Victor did not look up from the book he held in his lap, he removed the thick glasses he wore and peered over at the handsome young man that had entered his room. 

“Yes, but why this one? What is she to you?” Aristides moved to sit across from the older gentleman. Victor sighed deeply looked down at his book. 

“You will find out in due course my dear boy. For now just understand there are two women at Collinwood that will be the downfall of Quentin Collins. If I cannot have his body, then I will take the body of Barnabas Collins returning him to what he was. Can you imagine how powerful I could be to have the body of a man that is an old vampire?” 

“Why Victoria? She is an innocent in all of this.” Victor smiled looking back at his book, his fingertips running over the edge of the book to peer back up at Aristides.

“Why not Victoria? When did we care about anyone being an innocent to meet our ends?” Victor was studying the young man and had to wonder had he grown an attachment to her in that short period of time. Victor turned his assessing gaze upon his slave and frowned, “Tell me Aristides, have you grown affections for this woman in such a short period of time?”

Aristides shrugged, “ No, not in the least. I suppose I figured you brought back Daphne for Quentin and you control Daphne, why would you need to have any control over Victoria Winters.”

Victor was growing tired of the questions of this young man whose loyalties belonged to him. “Aristides because I desire it, there should be no other reasons or need for an explanation other than it is what I desire. Daphne was a step closer to Quentin, who is younger than Barnabas. He does have the advantage of having the portrait by Tate, but can you not imagine my excitement hearing that another Collins had been released and was a vampire?”

Victor stood from the wheelchair. Moved to peer out at the window with eyes that were no longer able to see as well as he had at one time. “That part of his life makes him an immortal with a great deal of power. The fact he is very wealthy also opens the doors to many possibilities. Would you prefer that when the time comes to take over Barnabas Collins body that I would simply kill off his intended wife? I personally would prefer to keep her as his wife. She is attractive is she not?” 

“Yes, she is very lovely. A treasure.” Aristides had never questioned his master before. He supposed now after meeting her and seeing how innocent and vulnerable she seemed had triggered something in him he had forgotten he had. Watching the man standing in front of the window he knew he was assessing him as either an asset or a liability in his next endeavor.

“See, you said so yourself a treasure. So, in other words Aristides you have answered your own question. Which reminds me, you have never questioned me before why now?” Victor, the name he was using while in residence in Wyndcliff narrowed his gaze on the man that was suppose to be there at his beck and call. 

Aristides had no real answer to his question except to say what he was thinking. “I don’t know there was something different about this one Victor, there was a quality about her that I could not put my finger on exactly what it was but I felt sorry for her.” Aristides was honest no one but Victor could fault him for that. 

This did catch Victor by surprise Aristides had never felt sorry for anyone before and for this girl to bring out a feeling in him of sympathy did give him pause to wonder what it was that had caught his servant by his humanity. “I see, well perhaps I should make it a point to meet her in person. I say tomorrow we take a trip to Collinwood. I will use my influence through Roger Collins to get an invitation to stay. I have corresponded with Roger Collins as Eloise Verinder on four occasions while in his capacity as General Manger of the Collinsport cannery. I had expressed an interest in possibly opening up some type of business interest.”

Victor moved from the window to look at his slave. “Aristides, make arrangements for another meeting with Mr. Collins but be sure I will need to be at his residence, insist that we cannot meet until the evening say around six or seven in the evening. He will be obliged to extend an invitation to join him at Collinwood; he may even extend a dinner invitation. Also say it is our intention to meet the owner of the cannery, which is his sister. I will expect you to handle this as expediently as you have done in the past other requests I have made.”

Aristides bowed and turned to leave. When the door closed and Victor knew he was not in hearing range muttered, “Perhaps it is time to watch you a little more closely my dear servant. It seems to me that your loyalties’ are questionable.” 

*****

Quentin held Daphne in his lap smiling into her gaze. “Have I told you lately how important you are to me?” He watched the her face brightened at the mention of his feelings for her. “I also wanted to ask you how was your schooling going my dear?” He held her close cuddling with her resting her head on his shoulder.

“Quentin, I have never felt this strongly before about anyone. The first time I met you it was as if I had known you all my life.” She played with the button on his shirt, her fingers dancing over the slick feeling of the button. Her other hand laid pressed to his chest and her head nestled on his shoulder she could feel his arousal of their close proximity to each other and this made her smile. 

It was the truth she did feel she had known him all her life and felt that way the first day she met him. She was taken by his strong good looks and his smile. He ran his hand through her hair and could feel the warmth of her breath against his neck and it was driving him wild with passion. Pushing her head back he looked deeply into her eyes, lowered his head and kissed her deeply curling his fingers into her head and supporting the back of his head. His breath was short as he spoke her name. “Daphne, you have to say you will marry me.” He held her close.

Daphne returned the kiss with as much passion as she had received from him and she too was feeling the heat of their passionate exchange. Pulling from him her own hand cupped to the back of his neck she smiled and nodded. “Of course I will marry you. As soon as I finish my last classes I will be happy to marry you.” They sealed their pledge with another passionate kiss.

****

Elizabeth had paced the floor until she could not pace any more. She was exhausted physically and emotionally. What had she expected? That Vicki would offer her immediate acceptance and forgiveness? That had been far more than she should have expected. This was not what she had expected, she could still see the look on her face and it broke Elizabeth’s heart. 

The look of pain, shock, and betrayal was so much for her to bare. Elizabeth felt a new wave of tears threaten her when she heard the door open and close. Moving to the doorway she paused seeing George standing there looking at her in complete confusion. “We found her, the problem is she is exhausted and I think she just needs some time. Barnabas has promised to speak with her and allow her to talk out her own anger or frustration.” He moved to Elizabeth and gathered her into his arms. “We just have to be patient Liz, what did either of us expect?” He could feel her tremble under the effort to control her emotions. 

“Oh George what have I done? Did I do the wrong thing in telling her?” Her eyes swam with her tears as she looked up at the father of her first-born. “I know she would be hurt by being raised as she was in a foundling home and not a day went by that I wondered about her or was wanting to have her with me.” 

George led her into the drawing room still holding her for comfort and support. “Liz, I think you handled it the best way you knew how. We could only hope she would be ready to accept us as her parents. She has said she wanted to know since she could remember who her parents were and god only knows that child has been through hell and back since her arrival here.”

He was remembering how many times she ha found herself a target and he immediately regretted reminding her of Vicki’s past and arrival to Collinwood. “Maybe I should have never brought her here. But I was selfish I wanted to bring her home even if it was under misleading circumstances. George, I wanted my baby home with me. I had been separated from her for so long that I felt it was time to bring her home. Did I do the wrong thing?” 

“No Liz, I think you wanted your family complete and brining Vicki here as David’s governess was a good excuse and brought her here. If it had been me and given the opportunity, who is to say I would not have done the exact same thing. I think you did what you could to have your family complete.” 

Liz sniffed and accepted the handkerchief he had handed her. “Thank you George.” She pulled from his gentle hold and sunk to the sofa. “I guess all we do now is wait to see how she accepts or rejects us.”


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

By the time the ice storm had ended, the whole world had been wrapped in a crystalize version of a snow globe designed for a Christmas decoration. Vicki huddled deep into the down filled comforter on her bed. Her eyes felt like lead weights and she certainly was not prepared to get out from under the covers she was still cold. Opening one eye she moaned softly.

The room was softly lit and bathed in the afterglow of a newly built fire, hearing the chime of the mantle clock she wondered if the five o’clock hour was for a.m. or p.m. With the opening of the door she soon had her answer. “My sweet Victoria, are you going to stay in bed for the rest of the evening too? If you are, then I will leave you to your rest but your mother and father are in the drawing room. They are anxious to see and speak with you.” Barnabas had moved to her side sitting on the edge of the bed.

Vicki sighed softly and sat up pushing her hair from her face. “My god how long have I been asleep?” She yawned looking at the clock and then the window. 

Barnabas leaned forward and kissed her lips lightly, “I would say close to sixteen hours my sweet. Do, you need more sleep or will you be getting up?” 

Vicki rolled to the other side of the bed, sat up and hustled to the bathroom. “I am getting up, I just need to take a quick shower and brush my teeth. How are they Barnabas?” She paused at the door before closing it looking back at him for confirmation they were not upset or worried about her. 

Barnabas smiled, “I explained to them you were just overwhelmed and that you were willing to hear them out and accept that they were your parents so they are anxious to see you for themselves to make sure you are fine.” 

Vicki smiled, blew him a kiss and whispered, “Thank you.” She closed the door and left him to leave the room to allow her to take care of her ablutions. Making his way down the stairs to the drawing room he smiled seeing Elizabeth more relaxed. He had made it a point that the moment the day had dawned and he knew that they were awake at Collinwood he was going to reassure his cousin and Vicki’s father that she had thought it through and was more willing to be accepting and forgiving than she had when first told of her parentage. 

*******

The relief that spread over Elisabeth’s face had been instantaneous. Her joy at discovering her daughter did not hate her or was going to reject her was overwhelming. Her eyes had filled with grateful tears and she called George to tell him what she had learned and asked if he would be willing to come out after he got off work to go with her to the old house to talk with their daughter. 

George had informed her that he had talked to his children about his newest discovery and that they had a half sister. “Elizabeth I was thinking we need to have the family get together perhaps here or maybe at Collinwood so that everyone can get acquainted with one another.” 

“Of course you are welcome to bring your family here, I think Victoria should be in an environment that is familiar and under her control and Collinwood or even the old house would be the best for her comfort.” Liz was just thinking about how to make Vicki more comfortable when she met her family. 

“If you are sure, maybe we should leave it to her and let it be her suggestion. My kids are anxious to meet her and want to get to know her. I told them we all needed to give her time to come around. That she just found out she had a mother and father. Of course my kids wanted to know about you Elizabeth and they wanted to meet you too.”

Elizabeth felt touched that George had handled the explanation to his family with so much tact and grace that it did not paint her in as bad a light as she had feared. “I would be happy to meet your children George. I fear I did not get to know them as well as I had wished I could or should have, I hope you can forgive me for being so reclusive for all those years.”

George sighed deeply, he knew she had good reason for acting as a recluse and far be it from him to find fault with her in any form. “Liz I understand why you felt you were trapped and chose to stay close to the house. Obviously, your self-imposed confinement was your form of your own prison. We had to finally have Jason Maguire to confess so that you could be exonerated from the thought that you had killed Paul. So there was no need for a prison.”

“George can you forgive me for not telling you?” Liz’s voice had dropped low enough that she was close to tears thinking of how many people she had hurt with her decision to keep her silence. The pause was long enough that it allowed Liz to believe he had reconsidered his original feelings.

She heard him blow out a long held breath then say with as much emotion as he used to share with her so long ago. “Elizabeth, the thought that I shared a child with you will never allow regrets or cause me to feel any less for you than I already do. I loved you then as I love you now. I told my children I never quit loving you. They know I loved their mother in my own way, but my heart was always yours and unfortunately Lydia knew that too.”

This had stunned Liz, to know that woman who had filled is life for the past twenty five years knew he was still in love with his first crush was stunning. “She knew?” Her voice had choked with emotional knowledge and she gripped the phone tighter.

George sensed she was beginning to feel the pain of another she had affected and it was beginning to tell on her just by the tone of her voice. He had not loved this woman for years to not know her like a well-read book. “Elizabeth, she accepted it because she accepted me and my feelings. What you don’t realize is that when we first started dating she accepted the fact then she would be second in my life. She knew I loved you and would always love you.” 

If George had hair he would be rubbing it back from his forehead, instead he just ran his palm over his baldpate and sighed. Turning to see his daughter Penny leaning against the door watching her father’s face and the torment and hurt he was feeling. An edge of resentment filled her and she quickly pushed it down seeing the tragic look on her father’s face. She could read the regret and the recrimination in his eyes. “Look Liz, I will be out in an hour, I really need to take care of something here.”

George knew Penny had over heard his last words to Liz Stoddard and he needed to explain. Just from seeing the look on her face just now, he knew she felt a loyalty to her mother. George put the phone back in its cradle turned to face his daughter, “Penny?” He held out his arms and she moved to embrace her father. He held her closing his eyes he could not help but wonder who it was that held his other daughter when she felt insecure, vulnerable or alone and this tore at his heart. 

“Come along baby, we need to talk and I am trusting you to use that practical mind of yours to hear me out. I know your brothers are a little torn between accepting and resenting me for what happened twenty-five years ago. I just don’t know how you really feel. I just ask you hear me out and let me confess to you what happened from the beginning.”

He turned with his arm still around his daughter’s shoulders. Leading her to the sofa. Releasing her to sit he chose to stand to begin his explanation. “You see sweetheart, Dad was young and full of piss and vinegar. He was a little wild and filling all the oats he could fill at the time. I was reckless and rebellious. There had been a dare thrown down by Bob Johnson, Eddie Freelander, and Marty Johnson. We all made a pact that our last summer before college we would find a girl and well. . . “ He blushed thinking about how stupid he had been.

“YOU planned getting her pregnant and abandoning her?” Penny was stunned that her father could ever consider such a heartless thing. She had popped up from her seating position, eyes wide and filled with disgust and accusation. She moved to the front room window to peer out unable to look back at her father her estimation of him now soiled in her mind. 

“Yes, we were going to find girls, talk them out of their virginity and well not exactly get them pregnant but have boasting rights as to who was the first that could claim the stud title. I am not proud of that and trust me I have had twenty-five years of eternal regret over our stupid dare.” George slumped into his favorite reading chair. His gaze went to the back of his daughter to the floor and the worn carpet that had seen plenty of years of wear and tear by three active children. 

“I never expected to fall in love with Elizabeth and trust me, there were plenty of boys that wanted to be the center of her universe. All of them, Bob, Marty, Eddie all tried to get her attention and frankly they wanted to be close to her money, not her. She was off limits the first time Marty tried to breach the doors of Collinwood. Her father let him known and told him to pass along his message, his daughter would never marry anyone locally or be with anyone locally.” 

Penny turned to peer at the bent head and slumped shoulders of her father and moved by her own love for the man that had given her shelter, love, and security for the past nineteen years she moved to put a hand of comfort on his shoulder. He reached up to cover her hand on his shoulder. “It really was unexpected how Liz and I met and eventually we hid our relationship from everyone. I went on and was dating another girl who had become very obsessed by me. She was harassing me at work, at home, at school and it got really bad and so Dad had stepped in to protect me.”

George squeezed her hand stood releasing her hand and began to pace the room. “See Liz and I were in the right place at the right time. I had decided to go fishing and Dad told me one of the best spots to fish was right off the point, just past Widow’s Hill. That had always been considered neutral property, not quiet on Collins property and not a part of the county or city it was just accepted that it was Collinsport. So, I packed up my gear and went out there to do a little fishing.”

George took another deep breath and allowed his own memories to flood him. ”Liz had also decided she was going to swim for a while, the day was beautiful and when I saw her come out of the water and up on the beach I was awe struck, she was gorgeous. She told me later she thought I looked like Adonis a Greek god.”

George smiled thinking of that moment; they both knew that they had found the other part of one another with one look. She had approached him and the rest of the summer was spent with each of them trying to find ways to be together. “She was so beautiful and so alone. Her father had built such strong towers around her that he had not realized he had isolated her in that big spooky house on the hill. “Her mother was dying, she was unable to speak to anyone about her feelings and what was happening in her life. She could not go to her father, he had no clue how to talk to a young woman approaching the beginning of her life and she like me was rebellious.”

George turned with a sheepish smile edging his lips. “Our first kiss was stolen in Portland.” He had laughed, “I never knew how tricky she could be when Liz Stoddard set her mind to a task she was a powerhouse to be reckoned with and that day she had told her father she was going to Bangor. So she had taken a car and met me outside the city limits.” He glanced to see a slight smile edging his daughter’s lips as he spoke of his stolen moments with Elizabeth Collins.

“Daddy how did you know you was in love? You both were so young.” Penny watched her father sit next to her; he reached over and took her hand in his hand. He studied her hand and sighed.

“I know some day I will be expected to give you to another man because you found a part of yourself in another. When you look into that persons eyes and you feel something in your soul that you belong to them. In Liz, I saw you honey. I saw my life and my future and my heart returned in that gaze.” He had been honest with his answer and waited for her response.

“But what about mom? I mean mother must have seen the same thing in your as you saw in Mrs. Stoddard?” Penny had grown up with Carolyn as a friend, not a best friend but a school friend that had shared her life with her and she had remembered being invited to Collinwood for birthday parties and various other functions and had seen the tragic figure that was her mother keeping a close eye on her daughter but always a haunted sad look edging her eyes when she moved about that huge fancy house that many rumored was haunted. 

George nodded, “I understand what you are asking me pumpkin and I tell you now, I had a deep affection and fondness for your mother that grew into a form of devotion and love. I told her from the beginning when we first met in college that I was in love with someone else. She accepted it in the beginning she was jealous and she was demanding that I love her as much as she loved me. I tried sweetheart god knows I tried to find the same love I had for Liz for your mother. But a part of me still held to the one woman that had become my whole life.” 

“Was mom attracted to you because you were a jock in college?” It was a fair question and frankly one George resented to a degree. He had gotten a lot of attention when their college football team had become State Champions and then National Champions and he had been the team captain and a strikingly handsome one had attracted a lot of female attention. Lydia had been on the cheer squad and had caught his attention. In the absence of Liz being there he had for the sake of appearances made it a point to be seen with her.

******

He had already learned that Liz had left to go broad to travel and had found someone and announcement of an impending marriage was going to be announced so he gave into his growing needs to be loved and gave his attention to Lydia. He was heartbroken and wanting to assuage his pain by finding comfort in the arms of another. Lydia was obliging and they eventually became the couple on campus or in those days the BMOC or big man on campus was with the girl of most men’s dreams and they had become the COC.

Later after graduation and being home for the summer he had heard she was engaged and soon enough it was in the newspaper. He did not realize that a parent wishing to protect what was their pride and joys had interfered with their growing affection to one another. George was heart broken, he still held the memories of that time in the fishing shake when they had shared so much with each other. 

Looking at Lydia he had confessed he loved one woman and probably would always love her but he had to b practical and he would try and love her. Three children later and the imminent end of her life Lydia had told him to go to Liz and tell her he loved her, to be with the woman he loved and had loved. She admitted she knew she had been a pale comparison to what he had with Liz. He had been stunned at her admission she knew had held her husband’s heart these many years. He knew he had never told her so how?

Laying in her deathbed, she smiled one of those all knowing and accepting smiles. Looking at him with eyes that were filled with the love she had held for him these many years she spoke softly with short gasps of breath. “George, you know I know you better than you know yourself. I have watched for years the way you light up when her name was mentioned, I have watched you jump from our warm bed in the middle of the night to handle something a deputy could have handled. I have heard the tone you use when you speak of ‘Mrs. Stoddard’ or Collinwood. How could I not know? You love her, she is a free woman now, go to her and confess your love.”

It was one of the most real moments he had ever shared with this woman and now he realized how much he had loved her for whom she was. “Lydia you know I am not going to deny my affections for Liz Stoddard but they were born from a young impressionable boy of so long ago.” He had laid his head on her chest and could hear the rasp of her lungs as they struggled to draw air to give her life. I spent so much wasted time at the end of your life loving a memory that I did not realize the wonderful woman that had stood at my side. Will you ever forgive me for this total lack of sensitivity to your needs my sweet Lydia?” 

He heard the emotional gasp as her feelings filled her and caused her to rasp with a need to draw air. “George I loved you enough for the both of us. Now, my time is growing near and I know in my heart I want you happy and not alone.” She had looked over the room filled with the mobiles he had built from a lightening strike on the beach and molded the sand into glass. “I was content to share your life, and your children with you. I know what I saw when I looked into your eyes and I accepted I would always be second especially when I learned it was Elizabeth Stoddard that held your affection.” 

******

“So, mother knew and accepted it?” Penny had looked at her hand held by her father’s. She was conflicted she really wanted to hate Carolyn’s mother but her mother had not suffered from anything untoward or manipulated against her mother. The woman was no monster but a tortured individual that had a child and was so afraid she had no one to turn to for help or to be able to confide, her mother had died, her father was a disciplinarian and she had kept it silent to protect her father and her grandfather’s position.

George felt his own emotions were turning very raw and he knew that she was not condemning him as Victoria had last night, she needed reassurance that he loved her mother the best way he could. Since Lydia’s death George had shut down his emotions. He was not about to act on the advice of his dead wife and rush to Collinwood to profess his undying love to the one true love of his life. Then all hell began to break loose with that demented Elias and his bat shit crazy sister Clarissa. Finding a house filled with desiccated corpses that were probably molested and then a house full of pregnant women that had been abducted was enough to drive any sane person a bit wild with anger and rage. 

The one thing he kept thinking was what if it had been his Penny in one of those rooms what would he have done? “Penny, your father loved the woman that bore you and your brothers into this world. I may not have given my whole heart to her but she had my heart, my respect and my admiration.” He had told his daughter the truth and he wanted very much to make his other daughter understand how important she was to him.

“Liz and I shared a child and we shared our hearts and a part of my heart is always with Elizabeth. My devotion and my attention was to your mother and when she needed me the most she pushed me to the one thing I thought I would never have. That is how forgiving and loving she was and I see so much of her in you.” He had broken his hold on his daughter’s delicate hand and looked into her eyes seeing Lydia’s eyes and he smiled. “I will always have your mother as long as I have you in my life sweetheart.” 

He watched her eyes tear and she moved to hug her father and held to him. She remembered those times held by father and daughter when she was growing up. It was the smells of his sweat, the hint of his aftershave, the smell of leather from his gun belt, and then there was the poke of his badge against her tender flesh. She had added that with the tenderness of his protective hold. They all represented what she knew to be security. She felt safe when her father lifted her in his arms, held her close and whispered his love you pumpkin in her ear. 

Whenever she had felt afraid, alone, or lost he had been there with his sage advice and his loving embrace. He had constantly reminded her how much he loved her and when her two brothers had taunted her unmercifully he had been her hero sitting his sons down to tell them to protect their sister not taunt her. She was reminded now that Vicki or Carolyn never had what she had and she felt sorry for them both. It was ironic that she could feel sorry for the poor little rich girl on the hill. She truly felt the one that had lost out on all of it had been Vicki; she was the one that had suffered the most. She had been abandoned in a foundling home. “Daddy do you think Vicki will ever accept us as her family?” 

George looked at the only daughter he had known until the other evening and smiled. “I think we will find out soon enough. I want you to be open minded, don’t blame Liz and pray darling, pray that she will accept us as much as we are willing to accept her.”


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Vicki smoothed down her dress, flipped her hair over her shoulder, and then laced her fingers together. Looking at the anxious faces in front of her she felt a sense of panic as she faced her parents. She started o speak felt her throat tighten, cleared her throat and then squared her shoulders. “I believe I owe you both an apology for reacting the way I did yesterday. I hope you understand that it had been a very trying day and well then to be told by two people I have come to respect and care about to come out and tell me they were my parents was just too much for me to absorb at one time.” 

She had hoped not to rush her explanation or her thoughts. She wanted them to understand where she was emotionally at the moment of the revelation. “It is not that I object or am disappointed in who my real parents are, it was just a lot to comprehend at one time.” Vicki cleared her throat again and looked at the expectant faces before her. “In fact I am very excited and flattered that I had two parents that are as wonderful as the two of you.” 

Liz was the first to stand up and moved to take Vicki into her arms and whisper in her ear. “I love you darling. I am so proud that you turned out as well as you did and that you are home where you belong.” Vicki held to her mother’s embrace, closing her eyes she let out a small sigh. 

“Hey got room for a hug from the old man?” Liz stepped back to allow George to move forward to his daughter and caught her to his barrel chest. “I am equally as proud of you as your mother and I want you to know that nothing will ever diminish the love I have for you. You are and always will be my kid.” He kissed her forehead and stood back.

Vicki held her tears back watching two people who had laid claim to her as their own and she was once again overwhelmed by the emotions of finally knowing her family and having a family history. Elizabeth was the first to broach the subject. “I was hoping to get you to return to Collinwood with us and having a big family dinner so you can get to know your brothers and sister better.”

“Oh what about Carolyn?” Vicki was the first to bring up the subject of her mother’s second daughter.

“Carolyn was told yesterday. I knew I was going to tell you so I wanted to make sure she knew and what with her being in a frail position with her pregnancy I felt it necessary to let her know before you were told.” Liz had felt bad that she had discussed this with Carolyn before coming to Vicki but she accepted the conditions and the reasons for her being the first to know.

“Oh good I was worried it might upset her to hear this news.” Vicki watched her mother and father sit in front of the fireplace before she continued with her thoughts. “I want you to know that this is all very new to me and I may need a little adjustment time but I am thrilled to have you in my life as my mother and father.” She was stumbling over her words and turned with the approach of Barnabas. 

“Well, this has taken on a brighter time and tone for us all. Elizabeth, George would either of you care for some refreshments?” Vicki felt embarrassed that was the first thing she should have offered upon entering the drawing room. 

“I could make us some tea or coffee if you prefer.” Vicki backed towards the doorway that would lead her to the dining room and then to the kitchen. “It is no bother since we modernized the kitchen.” She actually would have preferred to get to know her parents better in a less formal surroundings but knew this was their choice.

Liz sensing her daughter’s discomfiture smiled. “Why don’t we all go to the kitchen? We can have a cup of coffee and sit down and learn about each other in a less stressful or formal setting.” 

******

Nicholas stood in front of the mirror and smiled, the reflection of Reverend Trask appeared in the mirror. “You offer something you cannot produce purveyor of evil.” 

Nicholas laughed, “Now there you are wrong. I have access to her and I can give her to you, all you need to do is go to Collinwood and in the west wing there is a closet, it changes, you enter the closet and you think of 1968, the stairs will appear and you follow them up when you get to where you cannot go any further you open the door and you will be in the year 1968 and in the west wing of Collinwood. I will tell you when you should come and you will see for yourself that she is here and she is about to marry Barnabas Collins.” 

Trask frowned hearing the name of Barnabas. “So the witch dallies with another of the purveyors of evil and even dares to pledge herself to him in holy matrimony. NOT if I have anything to say about it.” 

Nicholas smiled as he stood before the image of an alive Trask in the mirror, he had found him before the day he disappeared and would be sealed up in the walls of the old house. “Yes, but time must always play itself out as it was intended, and she was pledged to him, now are you interested or not? If you are interested I will save you from a fate far worse than you could imagine and allow you an escape to the future to claim what is rightfully yours to claim.”

Trask smiled, “You can provide her to me?” He was thinking about the offer and it pleased him to think he could finally have what he had coveted before he was interrupted by Collins. He studied the beady-eyed man that now stood dressed in strange clothing that could easily belong to another century.

“I can provide you with the time she will be present for you to abscond with her if that is your wish.” He smiled and was tempted to smooth his mustache at such a devious thought. 

“Then tell me when and I shall come.” Trask reasoned back with what he knew to be an agent of the devil. He smiled too. He was ready to make a bargain with the devil if it meant he could have what he coveted and wanted. “Very well then devil’s advocate, I will come for her, you will tell me when and I shall come.” 

Nicholas was proud of the fact he had come up with this idea and smiled. “I will be in touch and let you know when to come until then return to the time of before.” Nicholas waved his hand over the mirror and moved into the bedroom smiling he could still smell her scent, he could see the imprint of her body on his bed and his heart raced with desire. “Yes, Trask you will get what you wan and I shall have what I want and we all can be happy once again.” 

*****

Carolyn sighed, stretched and decided that she had been in bed resting long enough. Throwing back her covers she sat up and shifted her legs from the bed planting them on the floor. Pushing herself up she immediately regretted her spur of the moment decision to get out of bed as a wave of nausea and dizziness swept over her. Lying back in her bed she moaned. “I just want to get out of bed. That is all I want to do little one why won’t you let me get up?” 

Her door opened and Daphne moved into the room carrying a tray of food and a shot for her nausea. “Oh now what did you try to do Carolyn? Were you trying to get out of bed?” Daphne moved to sit the tray on her desk and turned to move to the bed with hands on hips she looked at the overly pale features of her friend.

“I just wanted to get up and out of this damn bed for a short time and I got sick to my stomach and I got dizzy.” She sounded so pitiful that Daphne was touched by her plight. 

“Come on let me help you up and we take it easy and little steps okay?” Daphne moved to help her sit up slowly, then guiding her up she moved her over to the table where her food sat. “Now before you try to eat this, let me give you this shot so you won’t feel so nauseous.” 

Carolyn patiently waited for her to inject her and then looked at the food with disinterest. “I really am not hungry Daphne. I would just like some juice.” Carolyn was starting to sound petulant with her whining. She turned her nose up at the porridge and dry toast.

“I understand you have no appitite my dear friend. However that is part of your problem and you might not be hungry but that baby that is growing in your womb does need nourishment and the only way it will get it is through you. Now try to eat a little Carolyn or you will end up in the hospital again and I am sure you would not want that.”

“Nor would I.” Gregory Trask stood in the open door way and beamed his smile to the woman that was the mother of his son. With his raincoat draped over his arm he moved into the room and to Carolyn’s side and bent to kiss her lightly on the cheek. “It is good to see you up my dear.” He turned to lay his coat over the adjoining chair. 

Carolyn smiled as Gregory kissed her cheek then turned to peer at her food. “So, why are you here Greg? I thought you had business to attend this morning?” She picked up the piece of toast and tore it in half chewing on a piece as she watched her fiancé. 

“I did and I cancelled my appointments due to the weather. It is particularly nasty out there right now with all the ice covering everything. I had a dreadful time getting here.” Gregory sat back and studied the pale features of the woman that now would bear his child.

“Really, I wouldn’t know I have been stuck in bed for a few days. So, the roads are impassable? I heard we got around six inches of ice from the storm but with the weather suppose to be warming up in the next week that should cause flooding.” Carolyn surmised picking up her tea cup and sipping from it to replace it with gentle care back to the table.

“Yes, in some places they got over six inches of snow and ice, here we got mostly ice and from what I was able to gage it was more like three inches covering everything it could.” Greg did not sound happy. “it affected my power and my lines are down at the house, it is a good thing you are here my dear, there you would be kept warm by the gas powered fireplaces.”

Carolyn sat back to study Greg and noted he did look tired which meant he probably had not slept much. “I for one am happy that Vicki talked mother into having a gas powered generator installed now we have power when the lines are down. It works pretty nice to have lights and heat when the power goes off. OH speaking of Vicki I guess you had better be made aware of a situation that is going on right now if I am not mistaken.” 

Gregory focused his attention on Carolyn. “Oh, and what might that be?” He flicked an imaginary piece of lint from his jacket then turned his attention expectantly back to Carolyn.

“Well mother confessed to me that when she was younger she had an affair with Sheriff Patterson and it resulted in a pregnancy and that my friend Vicki Winters is actually my sister. They told Vicki last night and she did not take it well.” Carolyn had frowned at the thought that Vicki did not readily accept her mother. “I think it had mother upset all night.” 

Greg was surprised at hearing this news and looked away from Carolyn hiding his disappointment that the heir apparent had another that would divide the fortunes of Collinwood. “So let me get this straight, Victoria Winters the same Victoria Winters that is the heir to Devlin Enterprises, and came here as a penniless governess is your sister?”

Carolyn nodded slowly, “Yes, mother had an affair when she was eighteen with George Patterson and well, she got pregnant. She did not want to tell Grandfather about the pregnancy because my Grandfather would have destroyed George and his father. So she snuck off to New York, gave birth and left her on the doorstep of a foundling home. Mother has carried the guilt of this information for a lifetime. So, last night when they got home from where-ever Mother with George told her and I understood she got upset and ran out of the house.”

Greg sounded aghast. “Carolyn do you know what happened last night? What the Sheriff’ Department found when they responded to the all from your cousin Quentin?” Greg was not one to be upset over much; he had spent a long time crushing down his emotions to play the perfect lawyer. He had been appalled at the discovery of the desiccated bodies found in the one room and the number of pregnant females being held in a subbasement. 

“Apparently, Vicki had been lured to the house at the end of the block from Julia’s and Eric’s and when she got there she was taken hostage and forced to go through this disgusting and sickening ritual with some demented man that thought she wanted to marry him. This man,” He had said man as if the word was so disgusting he could not bring himself to think of anything more disgusting to call him. “This man, had around twenty female’s bodies in various forms of decay in a room and apparently he was into necrophilia. He forced Beth and Hallie to witness this bizarre ceremony with Vicki who by the way was duct taped to an appliance dolly.”

Carolyn nearly choked on her toast hearing this she began to cough. Greg stood up and patted her gently on her back until he could hear she no longer had an obstructed airway. “There better?” He looked to Daphne who also was hearing this for the first time and found it disgusting. “Well anyhow they investigated further when they tried to kill Barnabas by hitting him over the head with a ball bat and left him to die in the ice storm. That man that lives with Lang found Barnabas and they followed the tracks to that house and that is when Barnabas found that Hallie, Beth, and Vicki were all being held hostage by this demented thing.”

Daphne shivered and rubbed her arms. “I read in the morning paper they found about twelve college aged girls being held captive in the basement and they were all pregnant?” The whole story she knew had made national news and there had been a flurry of news crews on the scene of the house reporting for their viewers what had happened and how bizarre the whole thing had been. 

Greg nodded, “Yes, they were all reported missing over the past two months and most feared they would be dead once they were found. Fortunately for them they were discovered and they are being treated at the hospital. But everyone of them are pregnant.”

“Did they get the man?” Carolyn shivered again thinking about the night the wolf attacked her and Adam had come to her rescue. There had been this odor and then a feeling that had not been the only danger she had been subjected to that night. 

Greg slid back in his chair enjoying being the center of attention and privy to certain information about the investigation. “From what Barnabas told them, he had been helped and escaped with that nut ball sister of his, the whole country is on alert for him and they are comparing deaths and missing persons reports from over six states that these two could have operated in or about. They think they could solve as many as fifty missing persons reports and deaths, that the two of them were serial killers traveling from state to state to avoid being caught.” 

Carolyn felt her stomach tense with the thought of them living in Collinsport and possibly getting away with their creepy acts. “So all the girls are they going to be okay and what about their babies?” 

Greg did not have an answer for that question he shrugged lightly. “Don’t know about that. I do know they are leaving the decision on whether or not to terminate to each mother. Of course the ones that are too far along won’t have the option but those that are in the early stages of their pregnancies will be given an option to terminate if they want. That was why I was called in to advise them of their rights.” 

Carolyn sighed looked at the food on her tray and was now more determined to not eat because her stomach was in a knot. “I just cringe at the thought that crazy man thought he would force Vicki in to a fake marriage with him. No wonder she was frazzled when mom and George told her about her parentage.”

Daphne moved forward and stooped down in front of her patient and friend. “Carolyn, you need to eat. I know you don’t feel like it but the baby needs the nutrients that you take in when you eat. If you don’t start eating you may have to be fed through your veins and I know you would hate that more, so please try.” 

Stepping back she sighed deeply looked at Greg, “May I see you outside for a moment Mr. Trask?” Greg stood leaned over and placed a light kiss on Carolyn’s cheek. Moving through the door behind Daphne he smiled noting she had a nice firm bottom that moved so nicely in her nurse’s pants. “Mr. Trask I am having a hard enough time getting her to eat and hearing that story just now I am sure upset her enough that she has lost her appetite. I ask as a favor for me and in the best interest of your fiancé continued good health you reframe from being so graphic with your descriptions of what happened.” 

Greg frowned, she was right of course but he hardly felt she should chastise him. “I agree to a point Miss Harridge, but in fact she needed to know why Miss Winters reacted as she did when told about who her parents were. Now if you will excuse me, I have some things to discuss with my fiancé in private.” He turned and moved back into the room and closed the door with force.

“What is going on Greg?” Carolyn looked up at the closing of the door with a slight frown edging her features. She had been nibbling on the other piece of toast and had sipped some of her broth. She looked over his shoulder looking for Daphne.

“Miss Harridge just expressed her concern for you and my graphic depiction of the events that unfolded last night. She felt I was too graphic for you.” Greg sat down with a harrumph over being chastised by a nurse. “Who does she think she is?”

“Well she is right. I was upset hearing what you said Greg and frankly the thought of Vicki being in that house with those other women were upsetting news to hear. Upsetting enough I really did not feel like eating which is a bad thing for the baby.” 

Greg flushed realizing she was right he had not stopped to consider she was in such a delicate place with the pregnancy. “I am sorry love. Will you forgive me?” he slid forward reached for her hand and held it tightly in his hand. His gaze was designed to seek her sympathy and forgiveness, something he had perfected over the years of trying cases in the court of law.

Carolyn nodded slowly, “I forgive you as long as you apologize to Daphne for being so rude to her.” 

Greg smiled, “Consider it already done and over with my dear, now onto what you were telling me about Vicki. So did she ever accept your mom and the Sheriff?” Greg’s interest was merely a distraction from what his real intent was and that was to get Carolyn to forget he had been rude to Daphne.

“They are meeting at the old house now. I hope she is in a better frame of mind after a nights sleep. Barnabas has always been able to calm her down and make her see reason when she wanted to go off on a tangent for some kind of pity party. She should be happy she has done noting but harp on who she was since she arrived here three years ago. Now she knows she should be embracing them as her parents.”

Carolyn had begun to sound a little catty with her thoughts as she reflected on Vicki as her older sister. She wanted a sister and she cold not ask for a better sister, it was that she always seemed to be competing with Vicki for attention from the opposite sex and when she and Barnabas got engaged she had breathed a sigh of relief. She felt at least she would have a chance with the available men in Collinsport. The problem was she was not caught up in a relationship with a prominent attorney.

She was still not resolved to being a part of this man’s life. She did want the baby and she knew that if she did not give in to his demands of being a willing partner to his proposal he could make her life a living hell. “So you said you had things to talk to me about before you slammed the door in Daphne’s face. What is it you wish to discuss? And don’t drag it out Greg, I am feeling a bit nauseous and need to lie down soon.”

Greg felt pressured; he just did not want to share time with Carolyn with a nosey bitch like Daphne, so he had to think quickly. “Baby’s names, a wedding date, where you want to live once the baby is born, and how you wish to do our wedding? Do you want a large wedding so that your family is not deprived of the glorious moment of seeing their little girl finally happily married?” 

Carolyn sighed it was something she knew she had to accept and commit she was just not ready. “I was thinking if it’s a boy, we could name it Gregory Paul, after you and my father unless you have another name? “ She looked over to her fiancé and waited for his input. He smiled and thought a moment. “So would we call him Greg or Paul?” 

She shrugged, “I thought I would leave that up to you. I just figured that it would take care of two people I care about. If its a girl I was thinking Beth Anne. That is unless you had any ideas?” She watched him mull over the names he must have thought of if it were a girl. 

“I was partial to Charity Anne, what do you think?” He waited for her to respond and she smiled. “I think Charity is very pretty and like it. So, I guess we agree? Gregory Paul and Charity Anne?” She had deftly circumvented so far any discussion of a wedding. She was not sure how she wanted to handle their wedding. To make it a big affair and have her give birth a few months later could open the door for a lot of speculation and embarrassment for her family.”

“I like both names perhaps we will table the discussion of our wedding date for later. You look tired and I have an apology to issue.” Standing he leaned over and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. “Later my sweet.” She watched him go out the door and she sighed a deep breath of relief.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Reverend Trask was a licentious man with tastes for pretty young things that could sate his desire and lust. He had been planning on taking Victoria Winters from Collinwood for sometime and he had the dastardly plan how he would bring her to heal. There was something delicious and undeniable about her and her beauty. Just thinking of her now gave his body heat and he wanted her in front of him on her knees begging for him to take her as his lover. The thought of her pleasing him as many would expect from a beautiful woman made his imagination and his desires grow. He ran his hand over his manhood and smiled, she would belong to him. She would be his and there was nothing Collins could do about it.

He peered over at the pathetic young woman that was his latest conquest in his need to purge the land of witches and darkness that hung to the very foundation of some houses and the worse of them all was Collinwood. He could only imagine the debauchery he knew must be coming from the very pits of hell in that house. That foolish Abigail had disappeared and he wondered where she had gone? He had made plans to wed her. It would have given him a foot in the door of a very wealthy and old established family. He would lower his standards to do what he needed to do in the name of God. 

Thinking of the shriveled up prune faced woman that was one of the heiress to the fortune of Collinwood could allow him to do as he saw fit to meet his end. He could give her the cursory attention that a wife would require. He could even tolerate her lack of beauty with the largess attached to her name and inheritance, which would compensate him very nicely. 

He allowed his imagination to run rampant over what he could do with that sum of money. She was a spinster and only needed some love. It was a shame that she had passed the age of child bearing and her womb probably had shriveled up. However he could surrogate a child with Victoria, once they were married Abigail would just have to understand that a man had needs and desires and those needs were to be had in the arms of a younger woman more willing to give him what he needed. 

He could also claim it was divine intervention that forced him into the arms of another and then condemn her to a life of servitude to him and his wife. He could then visit her bed at night after Abigail had fallen asleep. He could easily slip into the bed of the one he truly wanted to be with and if by some sad happenstance that Abigail met her ends early in their marriage he would of course play the devoted and very sadden widower Trask. Oh this could work out wonderfully well, he just needed to find Abigail, but first he needed to find this closet the voice told that had come to him like a voice from God. The voice was so much like God it had to be him. 

He smiled, God had chosen him to speak too so he knew his desires and prayers were being answered because of his true belief in what he was doing, which was ridding the world of darkness and destruction of Satan. So this must be God giving him directions on what he should do. He slapped his hands together and headed to Collinwood. 

*********

Vicki stood in front of the mirror, she wore Elizabeth’s wedding gown. The soft chiffon and tulle bloused out to make it look like a Princess gown silhouette. Vicki turned and could not believe how well it fitted her. Turning she looked to the back in the mirror admiring the long six foot train laid out in beaded designs of rosettes. The pearl inlay bodice had a scooped sweetheart shape and accented against Vicki’s skin like a complimentary accent. 

Liz’s eyes began to tear up looking at her first born I her wedding dress. “You have no idea how long I hoped to see you in this dress for your wedding day and the only thing that would make this even more perfect is the veil that Joshua bought for Naomi. “ She turned to Vicki’s bed and lifted the soft lace veil with scalloped edging her her dark hair then ran her fingers down the length of the veil so that it draped her from head to toe and laid back behind her another eight feet. Vicki stood in front of the mirror and looked at the affect and now she was affected by the moment.

“Oh Mother its lovely, somehow I think Naomi would approve of me using her veil. She liked me.” She turned and the dress moved with her as she turned. 

Liz was touched by the fact she called her mother and now with the veil on she thought she truly looked like a bride. “I was thinking you could wear the sapphire tiara that I wore on the night of the ball. It would accent your hair and you would look lovely with your hair done up in long curls. You could use that as your something borrowed and blue.”

Vicki sniffed lightly, “Thank you mother that would be perfect. I still need to buy a garter for the best man to take off and I need to pick out my floral arrangements and I am so hoping that Carolyn will be feeling better so she can be in my wedding. “

Liz smiled, “Why not go down and show her the gown, I am hoping she might consider allowing it being used when she reaffirms the vows after the baby is born.” Vicki moved to hug Elizabeth then made her way to the door with the heavy dress and train following her down the hallway to Carolyn’s room. Knocking on the door she poked her head in and looked at Carolyn propped up in her bed. 

“Hey got a moment for a visitor?” Vicki stepped into the room and Carolyn’s eyes lit up, “Well look at you! Vicki you look beautiful in mother’s wedding dress and is that Naomi’s veil? Every Collins bride wore that veil when they married. I suppose I will wear it on my reaffirmation of my vows when we have the more formal ceremony. Right now I feel I won’t ever get out of this bed.” 

Vicki moved to sit on the side of the bed and took Carolyn’s hand. “You know I envy you because you are pregnant. I want to have a big family with Barnabas. And I could think of no more wonderful Aunt for our children than you Carolyn. You are going to make a wonderful mother and a terrific aunt.” 

Carolyn leaned forward and hugged her tightly. “I am so happy you are my sister. I always wanted a sister and I could not ask for a better one than you.” Her eyes were filled with the emotional tears she had been holding back. Falling back against her pillows she closed her eyes. 

“I love you too Carolyn, I am so glad we are sisters. I always felt close to you and really considered you more like a little sister instead of a friend. What with all the petty arguments we had I just figure you were acting more like a sister than a friend. I hope you are feeling better by the time we are married and you can be by bridesmaid. I am going to ask Maggie Evans to be a bridesmaid and thought I would ask Julia to be my matron of honor and Daphne as a bridesmaid. Unless you would like to be my maid of honor?”

The door opened and Quentin with Daphne entered the room. “Well did we walk in on something important? Victoria wow just look at you. That dress is breath taking!” Daphne moved to the side of the bed looking with admiration at Vicki and the gown she wore. Vicki stood from the bed and did a slow turn.

“Mother said I could use her wedding gown for the wedding and except for a few minor alterations I should be able to wear it for my wedding, and I was hoping you would be one of my bridesmaid?” She looked at Daphne. Seeing the instant smile on Daphne’s face she knew then she would. Moving to hug her she laughed softly, “Thank you Daphne!”

“No thank you for making me feel so accepted into this family.” Daphne stepped back from the hug and smiled into the gaze of her friend. “I think you will make a beautiful bride and a lovely Mrs. Barnabas Collins.” 

Vicki smiled her appreciation then turned to Carolyn, “ I will be back in a little while, I need to change. You do what your nurse tell you.” She smiled with her teasing tone and shaking a finger at her sister. Moving past Quentin she moved down the hallway.

As she turned the corner going to her bedroom, she felt a strong set of arms clamp down over her allowing her a scream of fright to escape as Trask grabbed her and forcefully picked her up to carry her down the hallway. Vicki was struggling but the long heavy gown hampered her movements, and the veil was ripped from her head to be left lying on the floor. 

Quentin hearing the scream turned to Daphne and frowned. “Was that Vicki?” Daphne nodded and followed Quentin into the hallway. Quentin turned to Daphne, “Go call George!” He moved down the hallway finding Naomi’s veil he lifted it off the floor and looked to the open doorway into the west wing and growled. “Oh hell no!” Laying the veil on the hallway table he ran towards the open doorway moving at break neck speed to see Trask dragging Vicki into the closet of time. Following closely behind he caught up with Trask.

Grabbing Vicki from his arms, Quentin shoved her behind him and began to struggle with Trask. Besting him with height he flung Trask down the steps and turned to Vicki, “Come on.” He moved to the stairs going up and began to recall the last time he used this way to travel through time. He smiled remembering the year was 1845. That thought was interrupted by a hard push from behind. 

Quentin tuned and frowned seeing Trask was advancing on him, turning he saw the door and opened it shoving Vicki through the door he turned to face off against Trask. Quentin had balled up his fist to prepare to deliver a blow when both men felt the stairs shift and change and once again there was a new door in front of them. Surprised by this sudden transition, Quentin was not expecting to feel Trask push him backwards to tumble down the stairs and into unconsciousness. 

Grumbling all the way Trask one more time thought of the year 1795. The door in front of him shifted and changed and the stairs continued to move downward. Trask moved to Quentin and looked up to see another door appear. Jerking Quentin by his heel he moved him through the door and into the west wing of Collinwood in the year 1795. “You will tell me what year you left her in before this is said and done.” 

*******

Vicki stood confused and dazed in the hallway of the west wing of Collinwood. The difference was this west wing was in use and had people living in it. Moving along the hallway she paused to come up short to peer at the startled but pleased gaze of Gabriel Collins. “You must be Joanna, Daphne’s cousin?” He wheeled himself forward and looked at her dress. “Kind of form are you not?” 

Vicki shook her head and muttered, “No this cannot be happening again!”

Gabriel reached for her hand and smiled, “Please to meet you Joanna, would you like me to take you to Daphne?” Gabriel turned to wheel down the hallway expecting her to follow him. Vicki followed Gabriel to the end of the hallway where he came up short and a scowl moved over his face. “Brother, have you seen Daphne?” 

Quentin’s gaze raked over Vicki with a lustful smile he shook his head. “Not in the past hour Gabriel and who is this sweet thing being forced to endure your company?” Moving forward he took her hand into his hand looked into her wide innocent eyes and smiled, “I am Quentin Collins and you must be?” He left the question open ended. 

Vicki noticed he wore mutton chops she was pretty sure she was not with the Quentin in the 20th century but one from another time. Gabriel swung his chair around and glowered at Quentin, “Daphne’s sister Joanna if you really must insist on monopolizing her forward movement to her sister.”

“Ahh the delectable and delicious Joanna, so pleased to meet you my dear.,” The way his had caressed her hand she was sure he was trying to seduce her right here in the hallway in front of his own brother. “It is a shame Gabriel that you cannot do what I am doing right now with Miss Mills. I bet it is killing your soul that someone as deliciously lovely as Miss Mills cannot be a part of your attentions which I am sure you would wish to force on her.” 

Both men were interrupted when another figure appeared at the end of the hallway and a delighted exclamation filled the air, “JOANNA!” Daphne Harridge stood at the end of the hallway her eyes alight and excited seeing her sister standing there in what might be a wedding gown. Daphne with arms extended rushed towards Vicki throwing her arms about her shoulders and hugging her tightly, much as any sister who had been long absent from her sibling. 

Vicki turned to see Daphne moving towards her with open arms and prepared for the generous hug she was about to receive. She felt she had fallen through the hole and was now at the mad hatter’s tea party. “When did you get here? What are you doing in this part of the house and why are you dressed like that!” She released her hug from her sister and stepped back to peer anxiously into her startled confused gaze.

“I am sorry, I just don’t remember how I got here, did I do something wrong?” Vicki was trying hard to hide her anxiety over being recognized as someone else as it happened once before. Daphne frowned, ran her arm around Vicki’s waist and led her down the hallway. 

“No nothing wrong just on the opposite end of our quarters. Come along sweet sister, you must tell me everything and most of all why are you wearing what looks like a wedding dress?” Vicki moved down the hallway watching her feet kick forward the skirt of the wedding gown that belonged to her mother. 

Gabriel laughed softly, “Now there is one that was not caught up in your charms and ready to fall into your bed. How does it make you feel brother that there are women in this world that can resist your chams.”

Quentin looked away from watching the women disappear around the corner of the hallway to look down at his brother with a sardonic smile on his lips. “Your problem Gabe is that even if she were to throw herself into your bed, you cannot do anything about it. Just as if I wanted Edith for the night, she with her longing and hot temptress needs would be there at a snap of my fingers.” 

Quentin watched the angry blaze of hate spread across his face and then suffice with that delightful shade of red he always got when he knew his banal banter had not been the one to give him victory in the argument. “The next time you wish to do a battle of wits with me Gabriel be sure to come well armed because we know you don’t have a foot to stand on.” He smirked and sauntered off down the hallway following the ladies to hear Gabriel break out in a chorus of curse words that would have turned the air blue. To end the expletives that had been uttered Quentin could only follow his brother’s frustration with a soft chortle. 

Jamison came running up the hallway to pause in front of the two women. His eyes went up and down over Vicki and his mouth opened. “You look like the lady in the parlor!” Daphne frowned looking at Vicki and then to Jamison. “What do you mean Jamison?”

“There is a lady in the hallway saying she is your sister and is demanding to see you.” Vicki frowned and looked around she was not going to wake up soon from this nightmare and she knew she was going to be put under scrutiny by the residents of Collinwood. She needed to get out of this madness. Turning she lifted her skirt and headed for the one place she knew she could find shelter and have time to figure out a cover story. She just needed to remain calm. 

Although she knew that at this moment calmness was in her thoughts. What she did know was she did not exchange places with anyone when brought to this time. The other thing she knew was in this time; she was Victoria Winters and not someone else. Moving with swiftness of foot, she ran towards the family mausoleum on Eagle Hill and to the door that would open for her and afford her shelter and time to figure out what she was going to do. 

Stepping into the secret room she paused, sitting in the center of the room was a coffin on its bier. “Barnabas.” She spoke in a hushed whisper. Moving forward she twisted the locks of the chains and found them fasten tightly shut. Looking around the room, she found a stand for candles, breaking the end off she put the leverage and found the locks easily broke. Moving the chains of the coffin she pushed up the lid of the coffin and felt a hand shoot up and grab her by the neck. 

Cutting off her breath she grabbed his hand struggling against it. Pulling her down to him he started to bite her and stopped, his own gaze shocked, “Miss Winters?” Barnabas was shocked. “Where did you go? What happened to you when you left the old house?” 

Barnabas had released her throat and jumped from the casket. Moving to help her stand. His actions of grabbing her and then releasing her had caused her to fall back and land hard on the floor. “Barnabas, I went back to my time. You may not remember but I was not from your time but from 1967. Since that time, I have met your grandson and well we are to be wed. The reason I was in this dress.”

He looked at her dress and smiled. “Then he will be happy, but why are you here? Why have you opened my casket?” He moved to close the casket and look at her realizing she knew what he was. More to the point how did you find out about me?” 

Vicki took a deep breath and let it out slowly, “Because it is you I am going to marry in 1968, a and I know all about your curse, Angelique and what she did to Bradford and you. There is a lot that has happened between the two of us since we last met Barnabas and well frankly we are planning our wedding for July. Now I find myself trapped in a place in time that is past your time and from the clothing I saw and the house’s improvements, I would say that we are sometime in the mid 1800’s.”

Vicki leaned against the wall. “I am afraid I don’t know how we are going to fit into this time Barnabas, I was in some stairway with Trask and he and Quentin fought the next thing I know, Quentin shoved me through the door and I was in the hallway of the west wing.”

Barnabas frowned, “Curious, who is this Quentin?” He studied her with a thoughtful intensity, then he did turn to her later and did what? Fall in love with the enchantingly sweet Miss Winters? “Well, I have an idea of who we can approach this, but we will need proper clothing to blend in and we can easily pose as Mr. and Mrs. Barnabas Collins from England newly married and on our honeymoon wishing to see Collinwood.” 

Vicki physically relaxed hearing he had a plan. She could not explain how she looked so much like this Joanna that had appeared in the foyer of Collinwood or how she was going to explain why she did not have an English accent. “How do we explain my lack of an English accent?” 

Barnabas turned and peered at her, “Easily enough we will simply say you were my bride of an arranged marriage to a wealthy family from the Americas.” 

Vicki smiled and nodded, “I could very well have been a wealthy bride to you, that could explain why I was in the west wing of Collinwood. I could say I got confused and entered the wrong end of the house looking for you because you arrived a head of me. Where shall we live while here, you know they will offer us a place at Collinwood.”

Barnabas smiled, ”I think the best place for us to become comfortable would be the old house. Perhaps we can get the patriarch to grant us permission to live there. Then I can with ease arrange to have my coffin put there, you could protect me during the day. “

Victoria smiled and nodded, “I would suggest we put it behind the bookcase in the drawing room. That way if any one tries to come and find out about us or snoop they will not know about the secret room and you would be perfectly safe.” 

“Well my dear it seems we will require funds and clothing, what I need to do is make a trip to town to sate my needs and then find someone that can act as a servant during the day and find me sustenance at night. “

Vicki frowned, ‘You won’t kill anyone will you?” This was the most important part of their plan, she wanted to make sure she would not have to bear the knowledge that death occurred and she could have prevented it. Barnabas smiled and shook his head. “No my dear all I will do is take enough to sustain me and not kill them. I do not relish what I am and you of all should know this by now if we are suppose to wed in the future.” 

“Before we make our dual appearance we both must make it a point to get enough information so we know how we both will fit into this century’s Collins family. So, my dear, if you will wait here, I shall return shortly and we should be able to integrate ourselves into the family.”

*******

Quentin felt reality start to return from the smell, it was a fetid disused smell of decay and mold. Looking around he could make out he was in some kind of disused mausoleum. From what he could see in the darkness that outlined the area, grave robbers had broken into the old crypts. Bodies had been left mostly unmolested lying in the confines of their coffins still dressed in their Sunday best looking much as they had when they were laid to rest. Moving his leg he moaned, a shackle bound his ankle to the wall behind him. “I see heathen you are awake, perhaps we can begin your education into the ways of God and drive the devil from your body and you will tell me where you sent Miss Winters!”


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Vicki paced the secret room with as much calm as she could muster. So many negative thoughts were running through her mind wondering if Barnabas had gotten caught. Worried sick that he had accidently killed someone. Finally wearing herself out she slumped to the floor and rested her head against the wall. Closing her eyes she wondered how it was possible to be back in time once again.

Hearing footsteps and voices outside the secret room's doorway she pushed her self up and waited anxiously. The door slid open slowly and watched the outline of a figure in a cape appear. "Miss Winters?" It was Barnabas' voice and her relief was immediate.

Stepping out of the shadows she paused seeing another person lurking behind Barnabas. "Sandor come in and meet my wife, Mrs. Collins." Barnabas' tone was soft and filled with patience. Vicki watched as a large man with a barrel shaped chest wearing gypsy clothing moved down the steps to stand behind Barnabas. He pulled his cap from his head and bowed.

"Madam, it is a pleasure to meet the wife of Mr. Collins." He was swarthy looking with deep brown eyes that let little slip past his alert mind. He stood waiting for Barnabas to collect his wife. "Mr. Collins told us of your circumstances of being stranded on the road after being robbed. My wife and I will be happy to see you your needs."

Barnabas smiled and nodded, "That is right Sandor. His wife's name is Magda and she is waiting for us back at the old house. It would seem that the current Collins family gave them permission to live there. When I explained that we would be the new owners and wondered if they would be interested in working for us, I made them see reason. Sandor was more amenable than his wife. But she saw the wisdom of working for us as to the alternative."

Vicki flushed seeing Sandor press his palm to his neck. He suspiciously studied Vicki wondering if she were like Barnabas in any way, when she showed signs of being warm blooded he relaxed around her. "Thank you Sandor or would you prefer to be called by your surname?" She stepped forward and offered her and in friendship.

"I am Sandor Rakowski if you prefer to call me Mr. Rakowski, I no mind but I answer quicker to Sandor. Magda she is a bit grumpy but she be fine once she gets to know you better." He smiled and it made all the differences in the world in his features he looked affable and approachable.

"Than you Sandor, then now what Barnabas?" She turned to note how he possessively watched her with Sandor.

"We go to the old house and set up house keeping, while I send Sandor and Magda to purchase clothing for us tomorrow. Sandor will bring my coffin later tonight. Now shall we?" He held out his arm to Vicki and tucked her hand into the bend of his arm.

Vicki moved out of the dank and moldy smelling mausoleum into the fog covered ground of the night. Moving along less traveled paths they came to the small buckboard that Barnabas had brought with Sandor. Helping Vicki on the conveyance he joined her drawing her close to his body allowing Sandor to drive the vehicle to the old house.

At their approach Vicki could see a small figure moving back and forth with a lantern held high over her head. Sandor pulled to the front of the house and placed the brake on, "Whoa… Hold up Nellie." He jumped down and waited for Barnabas to help Vicki down.

The female figure stood with a look of disgust and condemnation written all over her face watching Vicki being led to the steps. Vicki could see she was an older woman of undetermined age with long black hair, brown eyes and swarthy skin like Sandor. "So dis is the one you spoke of?" She said with no show of friendliness to her tone.

Vicki stepped forward and held out her hand. "Hello Mrs. Rakowski I am Victoria, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Sandor watched his wife and knew she wanted to spit on the hand being offered he closed his eyes and waited, if Magda disrespected this woman he feared what the vampire might do to her. Opening one eye he was pleased to see she slapped Vicki's hand in a firm handshake and a look of surprise came over her face. "You are the living?" She was obviously pleased and now worried.

"Yes, I am. I am sorry if we are creating a problem for you but I fear we have fallen on ill luck with the bandits taking all our things." She turned to peer at Sandor and smiled then looked at Magda who took her hand in hers and led her into the house.

"We share with no problem for the living." She glared at Barnabas and watched him move into the house with a degree of familiarity and Vicki could see the old house had fallen on less glorious times than when she was here last. Walking to the drawing room she saw a garish looking circular settee taking up the biggest part of the room.

"Oh dear, this is this an addition I was not expecting." She sighed remembering this room in the 1700's and in the 1900's and it was nothing to compare to the sparse furnishings or the state of the house. She turned to look at Barnabas, "Do you suppose they stored the old furnishings in the attic or cellar?"

Magda nodded, "Yes, the bedrooms have all the old furnishings and the other furniture was moved to the attic or the cellar, we fix tomorrow for tonight I put you in the big room with the picture of the pretty lady. You don need no room, you sleep the sleep of the dead during the day, you no sleep at all at night."

Barnabas frowned and Vicki moved to lay fingertips on his arm. "Mrs. Rakowski please there is no need to be rude. Please let us be civil while we are stuck with each other's company."

Magda looked at Sandor and frowned, "I do dis for her not him." Sandor smiled at his wife hoping she could see he was pleased to see she was willing to capitulate for the sake of a harmonious living arrangement. "Come I take you to the room with the picture of the pretty lady."

Vicki then realized she was speaking of Josette's room. "It is all right Mrs. Rakowski, I know where Josette's room is, I have been there many times before now. Thank you for your offer and help and I think once I can find some different clothing, I will help clean this place, I don't expect you to clean, can you cook? I fear I am not that good at cooking."

"Victoria I don't want you cleaning, you are the lady of this house, we will hire someone to come in to clean." Barnabas turned to face the woman he had learned was to be his wife in about one hundred fifty years.

"Barnabas, I cleaned Collinwood and helped out Mrs. Johnson with the chores, I am no stranger to hard work and the sooner we get this place habitable the better it will be for all of us. It is I don't know how to cook on a coal burning or wood burning stove."

Magda glared at Barnabas, "I cook for us, I cook good, Sandor missed no meals." She reached over and slapped his rounded belly. "I also help clean if it make you happy Victoria."

Vicki smiled her gratitude to Magda; "We will take it one room at a time Mrs. Rakowski."

"Call me Magda. I answer quicker to Magda than Rakowski. Now come I see you up the stairs." She turned to look at Sandor, "I guess you have to go pick up his coffin?"

Sandor nodded, "I will be back soon. " He kissed Magda and moved out the front door. Barnabas turned to watch Vicki moved up the stairs towards Josette's old room. His thoughts were he must have been a very lucky man to capture her heart and pledge to be his in another one hundred fifty years. Whipping his cloak off he put it on the coat rack. He moved into the drawing room with a dour look on his face, Vicki was right this place needed to be cleaned and he was going to see she had the proper help.

Moving down to the cellar door, he moved down the stairs. He was directed to one of the prisoner cells in the rear section of the cellar where he found the stone he needed and pressed, the stone shifted and moved, setting the huge stone on the floor he pulled out five chests. Opening them he smiled, golden coins, and jewels rested in the family secret hiding place. His father had secreted this away a long time ago and told him of it when he was but a teen and right before the war.

Taking enough coins out to secure a small house staff and clothing for him and Victoria he replaced the other chests in the wall. Before placing the last chest in he removed the deed his father had signed over to him. Pocketing the deed he smiled and patted his chest pocket.

Moving out of the rear of the cellar he paused by the arch that held the remains of Trask. Smiling he patted the stones and moved on to the stairs to return to the drawing room. Walking to the secret room in the drawing room he opened the door cracking it so that Sandor could move his coffin into the room sitting it on its bier.

Looking up the stairs he moved to climb the steps and paused hearing Magda speak with Vicki. "I can go look for something's up in the attic there are a lot of trunks up there, surely there is something up there that you could wear to bed."

"If you can give me a lantern Magda I can go look myself. I know when I was here last there were some day gowns and nightgowns in one of those trunks unless Abigail Collins had my things burned, they should be here still."

Barnabas knew exactly where the trunks were, moving into the room that had at one time held the love of his life he paused and looked around amazed that all that was needed was a deep cleaning and a change of linin on the bed. "Victoria, come with me and we will find you something to wear. Magda, heat some water so my wife may bathe before she retires."

"Is already done, all she need is something to wear to sleep in." Magda sounded defensive when she spoke to Barnabas, he could tell she did not like taking orders and relegated to a servants position, she might be a problem later."

Vicki smiled, "Thank you Magda, that was very kind of you. Darling you said you knew where the trunks were? I mean I would have thought Abigail would have burned my things."

Barnabas escorted her out of the bedroom and towards the stairs that led up to the servant's quarters and the attic. Making quick work of finding the trunks she found some clothing she could make use of while she cleaned the house and could use to sleep in.

Bringing down her treasures Vicki kissed Barnabas on his cheek and moved to Josette's room and to the bathing chambers. All she wanted was a nice warm bath, to wash her hair and put on some clean clothing and try to preserve her mother's wedding dress as best she could.

Barnabas smiled at the sweet kiss she put on his cheek then moved down stairs where he knew that Magda and Sandor awaited his return. He glanced to the open secret door and nodded then moved to close the door. "Now, tomorrow Sander you and Magda will make a trip to Portland and buy clothing suitable for a nobleman and woman and bring them back here, you will find a scullery maid and a ladies maid and bring her here."

"And we do dis on our looks? We have no monies to buy such fine clothing." Magda flipped her skirt as an emphasis to her disdain over his request. She began to rub her index finger against her thumb, "We need money."

Barnabas reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his purse and threw it to Magda, "See you buy what I tell you to buy or you might find my generosity is not as great as my anger can be."

Magda caught the purse and weighted it in her palm and smiled, "I need get food too, we will buy what is needed only and bring you back the rest of your monies, you no worry about Magda stealing from the dead, she knows better."

With the chiming of the clock on the mantle telling the hour as early Barnabas waved them off. "Now off to bed with you and I will see you at dusk tomorrow."

7.1

Vicki blew the hair out of her face and continued to scrub the floor with the makeshift mop she had made. Looking down at her hands she sighed, her nails were never going to be the same for some time to come but at least the majority of the lower floor rooms were now spotlessly clean. Standing she stretched from the small of her back and lifted the bucket of dirty water and moved down the hallway towards the kitchen.

How she wished she were back in 1969 and in her newly renovated kitchen. Glancing at the clock she had set on the table she frowned, she had about another three hours before she needed to bath and change before Barnabas arose. She sighed and went on cleaning the kitchen only giving a small gasp when a mouse ran across the floor after disturbing it from its hiding place.

In less than an hour she had made a big dent in the kitchen and had it habitable. She had visited the attic earlier and had pushed the pieces she needed brought down from upstairs to the center of the room. Then she had done the same for the items in the basement and there she paused recognizing the roll top desk as the one that occupied the parlor, she wondered if it were possible to hide a message in the desk and hope that it might be found in the future and maybe Julia and Professor Stokes might be able to figure out how to bring her back.

Shoving and pushing the roll top desk she frowned feeling it stuck on something. Putting her back into the lower part of the desk she shoved and felt it give and the crunching sound of what might have been bone. Pausing she moved and shifted the roll top away from the wall and saw brick that had torn loose from the wall. Bending down she saw a shoe and then she saw modern but aged and horribly treated worn clothing. Seeing a book in the pocket she pulled it out and found a diary. Looking at the poor man that had died in that wall now crumbling away from poor workmanship she moved upstairs.

Her conscious would not allow him to continue to rest there and when she could she would tell Barnabas and they would have his remains given a proper burial. Taking the diary she hoped it would tell her who that poor soul was now lying forlornly in the basement. Taking the diary she moved to the window and looked at the last entry.

'Trask is mad, he will never know that I put Vicki in another time, hell I don't even recall what time it was. I just shoved her through the door and then he took me and here is where I will die. At least I know she will be safe from that monster. He is insane.' Tears burned her eyes and blurred the rest of the written passage, Quentin that was Quentin. Upset and distraught she rushed upstairs and threw her dirty body across the bed and wept for the man that was her friend and now hero.

Rolling over she looked up and in a state of numb denial she studied the ceiling. She did not have Sarah or Josette here to help her and why had Josette not shown up or for that matter if she vowed to protect all Collins family why had she not protected Quentin? Something was not right here, sitting up she pushed herself from the bed, sniffed, wiped her nose and moved to closet, she was going to get to the bottom of that stairway if it was the very last thing she did.

Changing she moved down the stairs as she heard a rig pull up in front of the house and voices. Opening the door to allow the bright sunshine of the warming afternoon wash over her and fill her with is heat she watched Sandor and Magda help a pretty young gypsy girl off of the wagon followed by two strapping youths wearing the same clothing as the young girl. "Oh Victoria, good, we have all he wanted us to get. I bought food. This is Julianka, my cousin and her two brothers Rolf and Gregor. They will help and they know how to keep mouths shut."

Vicki was waylaid in her quest and had to table her need to go to Collinwood. The two young boys appeared to be in their late teens or early twenties and they appreciatively eyed Vicki as they passed her with a smirk on their lips. "Victoria do not trust those two." It was Barnabas' voice in her mind. Hearing him so clearly had startled her. The one with a rakish grin and twinkling eye was Gregor and he doffed his cap bent and took her abused hands and kissed the back of it

The more laid back and lazy one with unkempt hair and a slight odor to his body was Rolf. Both boys were of the same height and had the same basic features and they were handsome for men of the gypsy race, she did feel her heart race when Gregor took her hand. Magda frowned seeing Gregor making free with the gorger. "Rolf, Gregor come get the trunks bring them in. Be quick before Mr. Collins gets home."

Magda pushed the young girl to the front of the room and smiled, "This is Julianka she does not fear hard work and can cook. She help you dress too if you need her to help." Vicki looked at the pretty girl and thought her to be maybe around eighteen.

"Thank you. It is a pleasure to meet you all." She turned to watch the boys bring in several trunks and unload them in the middle of the foyer. Then watched Magda move into the house and look around.

"You have been busy I see," she reached for her hands and noted the crack nails and broken ones along with the red hands that were abused by the abrasive cleaner. "You no need to do this no more, we help now. We bring down furniture and bring up furniture." Magda waved off the rest of the house as inconsequential.

"I have all of the rooms down here cleaned and the furniture polished in the other rooms, I did clean out two bedrooms upstairs and was going to clean out more." She tucked her hands into her dress, though it was a dated dress it was serviceable and met the needs she had.

"No, we do. You go rest you look tired." Magda had cupped her hand against Vicki's face and smiled. "We do rest." Vicki smiled and relaxed but felt guilty that she should be helping and not just standing around doing nothing.

"I pushed the pieces I need into the center of the room of the main attic room and in the basement." She thought a moment; there it was what was hidden in the basement. "I have only three pieces that need to be brought up, one is a roll topped desk."

She knew if they pulled together, when Barnabas arose they would have the house in order and it would please him immensely. It did not take long to arrange the furniture and to place the pieces where they needed and with the help of the young men she had unpacked Barnabas' new clothing and had it hung in his dressing room in his room and her clothing placed away and her room ready for complete occupancy. Magda had even gotten new sheets and pillowcases for her bed and was grateful.

What she had found would be useable but needed a good laundering which was what she had planned to do tomorrow. She had unearthed some tubs and sighed, the only thing she missed was warm running water, which if she thought about it she could have piped in at some point, there was so much she could do for this house to improve its comfort. Barnabas may not miss the comfort but she did.

She was in the middle of remaking Barnabas bed when she felt someone standing behind her watching her. Turning she was surprised to see Barnabas standing in the doorway watching her being domesticated. "Do you realize how enchanting you look in this room making my bed?" He smiled and moved in to the room and took her hands.

Instinctively Vicki moved into his arms, placed her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, if but for a moment she could pretend this was her Barnabas from her time. She wanted him to be the same Barnabas with memories of their love. She needed to feel his arms around her and the tenderness of his words to reassure her that everything was gong to be fine.

The degree of her passion surprised and delighted him, slowly he backed her to the edge of the bed and gently lowered her down on the bed crawling on top of her, as their passion ignited in him he recalled he had not fed and a part of his primal need surfaced, his eyes began to glow with a blue intensity and his teeth grew and he felt the need to take from her what he needed, what he desired.

Realizing he was about to loose control he pushed from her and turned his back. "What? Did I do something wrong?" Vicki gasped collecting herself as he collected himself to regain control over his need. She saw him slump his shoulders and heave a sigh, he could not draw breath but he could sigh.

"No, I have not fed and I did not want to use you." He was being honest something that made his life so much easier with her, it seemed so natural for him to discuss his condition with her. He turned and the look of shame was evident on his face.

Vicki stepped forward, placing a hand on his arm she spoke softly and with words filled with love. "Take from me my love, take from me and save yourself the grief of hunting for your food source this night. I don't mind, I understand and together we will figure out how we can cure you as you are cured in the future."

He looked up with a spark of hope edging his eyes he could not believe his ears, did she say he was cured in the future? Surely this was not possible, it was a curse one inflicted on him by a hate filled vengeful witch. "I am cured?" He sounded hopeful for the first time since this was delivered upon him.

She nodded and moved into his arms, bent her head, "Take from me Barnabas, I give it to you freely, take what you need." Without hesitation he gently pushed her hair aside and bent his mouth pressing it to her delicate tender throat and bit into her neck. Feeling her flinch from the momentary pain he held her head to keep from tearing her throat and he drank deeply feeling her grow weak in his arms he stopped, lifted her and put her on his bed.

Moving next to her on the bed he cradled her next to his body. It felt right having her next to him like this. It was as it should be and always should have been. How could he have been so wrong? He sighed and spoke his words of recrimination, "I am so sorry my dear. Forgive me for what I was forced to do and had not wanted to except for your generosity."

"I knew it! You killed her! You monster you killed her!" Magda stormed into the room seeing him hold Vicki in his arms, blood drying on her throat, pale and lifeless in his arms.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

From the perspective of Sandor it was a draw as to who charged whom first. He was amazed that Magda had taken such an instant liking to Vicki, as she had to be so defensive of her. Magda charged Barnabas and Barnabas flung himself from Vicki's side and charged Magda. Barnabas reached Magda first grabbed her by the neck and bent it to the side and plunged his teeth into her neck.

Sandor reacted by moving forward to try and protect his wife but not harm any of the two combatants. "Mr. Barnabas! Please she just cares for Mrs. Victoria, please don't hurt her!" Sandor moved his large hands to Barnabas' hand around Magda's neck. "Please, please let her go!"

Barnabas released Magda allowing her to slump to her knees. He had taken only enough to get her under his control. Magda gasped and collapsed to her knees rubbing the blood slowly ebbing from the open neck wounds. Sandor followed his wife down to the floor holding her close to his body rocking with her in his arms "Magda, I told you that mouth would be your death!" He wept into her frail now trembling body and she glared at Barnabas with open hatred and fear.

From the bed a soft moan was heard and a softly whispered, "Barnabas?" All eyes turned to the pale figure on the bed amazed she still lived, all except Barnabas who had known the moment he took her that she was no ordinary human female she held some of his powers. It had to be something that must have happened between them in the future.

Moving to the bed, Barnabas picked her up and moved from the room with her, carrying her down the hallway to Josette's room and gently laid her on the bed. Stepping back he looked down at her neck and watched in amazement as the neck healed over and the marks disappeared. "How is this possible?"

Vicki rolled her head so she faced the sound of his voice. Lifting her hand weakly she reached for him. "Barnabas." She called to him and felt his cold hand encase her hand. Dropping to his knees he peered into her eyes.

"I am so sorry my dearest Victoria, can you forgive me for what I am?" He held her hand and kissed it as he set down on the bed at her side. He watched the look of wonder fill her gaze and knew that somewhere in the distant future this woman loved him so completely that she would give up her life for him. Taking her free hand now beginning to warm she cupped his cheek and peered with absolute love into his gaze.

"There is nothing to forgive Barnabas, I understand your needs and I understand how much you detest what you are. If you could be nothing else or even dead you would rather be that. I love you now more so completely because of what you are and why you are the way you are."

Quentin pulled on the chains in the wall and felt the bricks begin to give. He smiled, he was not sure how long he had been in this dungeon but the abuse had been enough that he knew he had two broken ribs and had bound them to keep them from shifting. Reaching into the jacket pocket e pulled out his notebook and grabbed his ink pen. Scribbling out his note he sighed and put his book back in his pocket, his anger was growing and then he saw the filter of a moon beginning to peak through the small window. Sliding the jacket off of his body he folded it enough to use it as a pillow. As he moved to get as comfortable as possible, the feeling began to gnaw at his body.

The old familiar feelings began to fill him and it scared him more than Trask. The gnawing pain gripping his stomach he rolled to the side and began to sweat and he could feel his skin beginning to crawl. He did not have the portrait to heal him but he had totally forgotten he had the curse still and it was beginning to take affect. The pain was so intense with the oncoming transformation that he did not care he just had to fill his need and the pain erupting from a moan in the back of his throat now turned into a low menacing growl of need and want.

With one mighty pull he had the chains loose and dangling now from his freed arms. Tearing at the chains from his wrists he leapt to the door and knocked it off its hinges, bounding up the stairs into the open abandoned hallway he looked to the area he was in and noticed the door was blowing open from not being securely closed. Bounding out the door he paused on the top of the steps looking up at the full moon. Lifting his head he howled, his nostrils flared and if a wolf could grin he sought out a quarry and bolted for the woods.

Trask had thought of many dates when he entered the room and found himself in the hallway of a disused west wing of Collinwood, hearing voices he darted into an open door and stood listening. "You say you saw Quentin disappear into this hallway?" Trask was astounded it was Collins, he was in this time, the very time that Vicki had occupied before he dragged her into that closet and down those stairs to be interrupted by some mad wild man.

Trask watched as another balding man wearing a uniform with a badge and a gun on his hip. He must be a lawman. Another woman joined them and she was very much like Naomi Collins only she wore scandalous clothing. "Yes, he chased the man that was holding Vicki against her will down this hallway. They all disappeared around here."

George sighed, "I am going to have to get some men out here and have them searched the area. If they are still on the premises we will find them." Trask waited for them to leave the hallway and made his way back to the closet to find it had changed to nothing more than a closet. He knew he needed to bide his time until it switched back. Sliding down he sat and waited.

The area around him began to shimmer and shift and once again Trask found the stairs leading down. Confused he wondered how he was to get back to his time. His thoughts conflicted he moved down the steps pausing at the first door he came to and opened it. Stepping into the hallway he stopped, there she was standing in the hallway looking at him in shock.

His eyes alighted with delight, moving towards her, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to his body. "I have found you witch, you won't get away again!" From down the hallway he appeared, the one he had chained in the basement of the old house. He watched as Joanna struggled against his hold. "You won't stop me again!" Grabbing Joanna he lifted her and carried her to the closet and closed the door.

The room shifted and Trask disappeared down the stairs and from sight. Quentin followed only to find the room was nothing more than a closet. Frowning he stepped fully around the room pressing against walls to see if there was an escape panel. Moving back out into the hallway he frowned again, what was going on and where did that man come from that had just taken Daphne's sister Joanna?

Daphne smiling moved down the hallway and paused confused and curious looking around she asked Quentin, "Did Joanna come this way? I know I asked her to find Gabriel and Edith." Quentin turned to look at Daphne, he was finding he was having feelings for her and was fighting them. The last thing he wanted was to have to tell her he witnessed Joanna being kidnapped.

"Quentin? Did you hear me?" She put her hand on his shoulder and looked at the stricken look on his face.

"Daphne, some man just came in here and took your sister. I tried to stop him but they disappeared. I don't know how else to say this but your sister is gone."

Joanna tugged against Trask's hold struggling with him down the stairs, stopping he jerked Joanna around and slapped her across the face snapping her head back she gasped. "Sir! Unhand me!"

Her voice was not the same and Trask has looked into her eyes. Then it struck him, this woman's eyes were brown not hazel. How was this possible? Trask shook his head. "Your name seductress! Tell me your name!"

Joanna backed up her eyes wide and filled with fear and trepidation. "I sir, am Joanna Miles and whom are you?" She was indignant and now she was outraged by his temerity to manhandle her the way he had. "I demand you return me to my sister and Collinwood immediately or face the full charges of the law for this affront!" She had squared her back and glared at the man in front of her.

Trask had to think quickly, this woman was not Miss Winters then who was she and how was it she looked so much like the woman that had obsesses his life. Trask was furious with her and with himself for being so hasty and reacting to seeing someone that resembled the one woman he had become enamored.

Grabbing her hand he moved back up the stairs watching for the doorway and when it appeared he opened it and shoved Joanna into the open hallway. Much to the astonishment of Daphne and Quentin to see Joanna appear in the hallway looking angry and dazed. Quentin seeing the man shove Joanna back into the hallway turned shouting, "Hey you!" He charged into a closet to find the odd dressed man was gone and so were the stairs he glimpsed. "What in blazes is going on?"

Joanna moved to the door and opened it looking at the interior in shock. "There were stairs there earlier when that brigand drug me in there!"

"I know Joanna, I saw them too, this is most curious and I wonder." He did not finish his thought turning back to look at Joanna, "You are unharmed?" he studied her and noted her face held a palm print.

"That monster slapped me then demanded my name. He became inflamed when he was told and forcefully drug me back up those stairs and shoved me here into the hallway!"

Daphne put her arms around Joanna and turned to her to lead her away from the area that had caused her so much distress. "Come on Joanna, let's take you back to your room. Quentin would you find Gabriel and Edith and tell them your father wishes to see them in the library?"

Quentin nodded, "Of course." He looked at the closet then looked at the two women moving off down the hallway. "I am going to figure this out if it is the very last thing I do."

Alain Fortner was a vagabond, he had drifted from one small town to another catching jobs where he could on fishing boats or stables. This full moon night he found he was a drift again and needing a place to sleep for the night. Moving through the woods he paused sure he had heard the baying of a wolf earlier and wondered if that wolf was tracking him. Moving through the wood line he paused and turned and saw it, a huge wolf the size of what could only be called a man, and it appeared to be standing on its hind legs.

Taking off at a dead run, Alain made his way towards a large white lumbering structure ahead, the growling and snapping maw of the huge wolf was on his heels as he hit the open front door, looking around in a panic Alain saw the stairs going up and then a door opened at the end of the hallway, dodging past the stairs he darted down the steps to the basement and hugged the wall.

Not hearing the wolf he sighed relief filling him, shivering he looked around the room and saw a jacket lying on the floor, reaching to put th jacket on he hugged into it finding a modicum of warmth. Looking around he saw where someone must have been held captive. Bending to lift the chains his hands froze as he heard the deep labored breathing of a huge animal, turning he looked up seeing the outline of the huge wolf on the top stairs watching him with its feral eyes following his everyone move.

The next instant it happened and for poor Alain, the end of his life came with the sound of his throat being torn apart and his face being terribly disfigured by the huge ravaging animal that now render his body tearing at him with a lust for blood and a need to kill, the feral animal sated his need, when he had finished his feast he lifted his head and howled again in triumph. Sprinting towards the door the large figure of the animal disappeared into the night just as Trask arrived at the house to check on his prisoner.

Trask moved down the stairs calling, "Did you miss me?" He stopped at the bottom of the steps and saw the bloodied mess that now greeted his gaze. The sight caused him to turn and wretch. Rushing from the house he leaned against the pillar supporting the front of the overhang of the front of the house. Rolling his eyes to the heavens had prayed to have the strength to hide the remains that were a part of that cellar and indelibly inscribed on his mind he knew for the rest of his life.

Vicki smiled as she watched Barnabas. He was holding her hand in his and was looking intently into her gaze. "You know I have to ask how it is that you possess what I have but are not cursed as I am." He watched the play of emotion dance over her eyes then shelter behind a fall of heavy eyelashes.

"You may ask, and I will think about telling you. Let us just say the only reason I am alive today was because of you and I am the reason you are no longer a true vampire but what we know as a daywalker. When we were able to help one another I received a part of what you were in the transference of our life forces and I absorbed your curse into my body."

The look of hope was beginning to show in the light of his eyes. "Then I owe you a lot in the future?" He watched her close her eyes and then nod her head slowly.

"We owe each other a great deal my love. We found each other and we have grown with our love, it did not come over night it took a couple of years. Before Trask grabbed me and brought me here, we were planning our wedding and the future you I am sure does not know where I am."

Vicki pushed herself up on her elbows and sighed. "I am much stronger now. How badly was Magda hurt? I really should go attend her." Barnabas assisted her to stand and then stood back to allow her to go in search of Magda. Barnabas felt it would be best to avoid the Rakowski family for now and moved to his room, where he saw his new clothing were resting in his dressing room.

Moving to the dressing room he pulled out a suit and began to dress to blend into this time. He stood in his bedroom going over all that had transpired and now he knew he had Magda under his control along with Sandor, the only other problems would be Julianka and the two boys. He would deal with them when the time was right.

Vicki moved down the hallway to Sandor's room. Knocking lightly she heard Magda call out in a scared and hoarse voice. "Come." Vicki entered the room a look of care and concern edging her eyes.

"Magda? Oh my poor dear, are you all right?" Vicki moved to her beside, watching Sandor look at his wife with concern and fear. She could see the huge bite marks and sighed, moving to pour water into the bowl she came back and bathed her neck. Magda watched her with little trust as she gently bathed her neck.

"You have no marks, I saw him bite you and you died, I had to make sure you would not be hurt or dead, you understand?" Magda stopped her from bathing her neck. "What are you?"

Vicki lowered her hand and held the wash cloth in her hand. "Magda, I am from the year 1969, I was brought here by an evil man that has done nothing but torment me and persecute me since I traveled back to the year 1795. He tried me for witchcraft. Mr. Barnabas actually helped me and saved me."

Magda grabbed her hand and looked at her palm. "Card Sandor, get my card!" Running fingertips over her palm she frowned waiting while Sandor went to the dresser and opened a drawer pulling out a set of tarot cards. "Give to her." Sandor handed the cards to Vicki. "You deal them, now deal them."

Vicki took the cards and began to shuffle them the whole time she felt confused at this strange reaction to her confession that she was from the future. Shuffling them she looked at Magda and handed the cards back. Magda took the cards and divided them into three piles. "You pick, you pick now."

Vicki reached for a pile of cards to the right then drew her hand back and took the pile on her left, handing them over to Magda. Magda took them out and laid them out on the bed frowning. She studied the various cards in front of her and lifted the death card. "You died, you have a new life now. You live in this time but belong in another. Sandor she tells the truth. I forgive her and the monster. We help."

She was so matter of fact that Vicki did not believe there was room for doubt in her belief that she was who she said she was after reading her cards. "I do this for free this time. Next time you and the monster pay me." She took her fingertips and rubbed them over her thumb. "Now get me up, he did not hurt me as bad as you think, he just made me not want to curse his name and call him names." Magda waved them away.

"Go, we get busy and make house and find plan to get you home Miss Victoria. I be nice for now to the monster." Magda threw the blanket off of her lap and moved to stand and found she was a little weak. Sitting back she frowned, "How long take?" She looked at Vicki.

Vicki sighed, "I would give it another hour Magda, you will feel weak for about an hour and then you will be fine. I will make sure that Barnabas does not use your blood again, he will take mine before yours. He can't hurt me. I have a special ability and I heal faster than most. I am having him take what he needs from me so he won't hurt others."

Magda frowned, "I no like he might hurt you. You are a pure soul with good intentions. Sandor, help Miss Victoria with Rolf and Gregor, make sure that Julianka finds root of sassafras and boil it for me and add a pinch of lavender for me to drink." Magda laid back down on her bed and waited for them to leave her alone.

Vicki followed Sandor out of the room and paused in hallway. "Sandor, will she be all right?" Vicki had laid a sympathetic hand on his arm. Sandor nodded and smiled.

"She is better now, she just tried to protect you." Sandor looked down at the small woman with a look of apology. "She no mean harm she just let her mouth go and not stop sometime."

Vicki smiled, "She will need to try and not call him a monster, in my time Sandor he has saved my family and myself so many times at a great deal of expense to himself. He did not ask to be this way, he has no choice and its one hundred fifty years away when he can have a normal life with me again. Maybe you will talk to her about it?"

Sandor saw why Magda felt so defensive for this gorger female and he too was finding he liked her as much as Magda, she was not afraid of heavy labor, she was not afraid of the man that was dead, she was fearless in his eyes. "I do my best talk to Magda but she her own woman with her own mind which is reason I married her." He smiled widely and proud of the fact he had married well from his perspective.

Vicki left him in the hallway to go down the stairs and paused. In the middle of the drawing room was an older taller man standing with his hands locked behind his back looking the house over. "Hello?" Vicki said softly from her position on the stairs. She watched the man turn and then looked at her with a look of surprise and confusion.

"I thought the gypsies had possession of the house, Madam may I ask whom you might be?" He stepped forward and for a moment Vicki was reminded of Joshua Collins by this man's demeanor. He gave her a superior look or a proprietary nature and then he looked again. "Oh is that you Joanna? What on earth are you doing here dressed like that?"

From the rear of the house a distinguished looking Barnabas dressed in period 1840's dress stepped into the drawing room from behind. "She is my wife, Mrs. Collins and you might be?" The man spun around, his face paled visibly and his voice choked out, "Cousin Barnabas?" His voice had almost dropped to a whisper.

Barnabas studied the older man in front of him and guessed him to be about sixty years of age and as he studied him Barnabas knew who he was. "I am Barnabas Collins. Not the original one but his son. You are?" He knew before he opened his mouth but Vicki was not expecting to hear him say it.

"I am Daniel Collins, the owner of this house and Collinwood. May I ask why we have not had the pleasure of meeting you at Collinwood?" He moved with an extended hand to Barnabas. Barnabas took his hand and shook it.

"I fear there is a misrepresentation on the ownership of this house. My grandfather Joshua Collins deeded this house and its surrounding properties to my father before he moved to England. I have recorded the deed in town and have a copy of the deed if you wish to see it."

Daniel shook his head. "I do recall something of this transaction when I was a child. I am sure you are entitled to reside here. I do wish you would afford us your company at Collinwood." He turned to watch Vicki move down the stairs to move to him looking at him in wonder and surprise.

"I am Victoria Collins Mr. Collins, and very pleased to meet you. We apologize for not coming sooner but Barnabas and I are recently wed and were getting the house ready for occupancy and hoping to invite the family over for a dinner soon." Vicki had moved to Barnabas' side hooking her arm around his arm.

It had been at least fifty-five years since Daniel was saved to continue the Collins family line. Here he was now all grown older and more than likely had children of his own. "I was surprised when Tad told me he saw someone other than the gypsies here and when I came in and saw the house so elegantly dressed much as it had when your father was here I was some what set aback."

Vicki smiled, "We have invited the gypsies to stay and they are a wonderful addition to our household staff." She moved to the chair by the fireplace and sat offering the other chair to Daniel. "Please sit and let us get to know one another better."

Daniel moved to sit and looked at Barnabas. "I know I was very young when your father left, but I must say you look just like his portrait it is uncanny."

Barnabas smiled, "I must say you look a lot like Joshua Collins from the portraits father had of him. I understand he was more of an Uncle to you and later a father?"

Daniel nodded, "Yes, we became close in the end of his life." Daniel looked distant with his thoughts wandering back to Joshua., Vicki smiled, she was happy that she was able to save his life. Sitting back she knew she could not relax completely the meeting of the other family was about to unfold for them all and she prayed she was ready for it.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Victoria Winters sat at the roll top desk in the drawing room. Looking for the secret hiding place in the desk she found a loosen panel in the back and pressed against it to watch a seal drawer open. Smiling she reached for the small notebook she had pocketed in her dress pocket. "Darling, are you ready? Daniel and his family are awaiting our arrival at Collinwood." Barnabas moved into hallway adjusting his cravat and looking around for Vicki.

Vicki shoved the diary into the drawer and slid it shut. Standing from the chair she reached for her cloak and hat on the desktop. "I am here my love." She said a bit breathlessly which gave Barnabas pause. He moved to the drawing room and stopped. She stood resplendent in a long red dress with a huge red bow tied in the back.

"Is there a problem?" He looked at her and noted she was having a difficult time with the bow on the back of her dress. He smiled, "I see the problem, you are nervous over meeting Daniel's children, I must confess I cannot get over the fact he has grown children and is a grandfather too." He moved to her side and looked at the way the bow had been tied and sighed. "Allow me, it is like a huge cravat but will look so much better."

Undoing the bow that hung sadly askew he began to retie the bow so it looked pristine and lovely accenting her small waist. "Oh Barnabas, I don't think I will ever get used to wearing this much clothing. We have come so far for women in my time that wearing such heavy garb is cumbersome and almost torturous."

He chuckled, "I recalled you did not have that problem in my time." He reached for her cloak and slid it on her shoulders. "There, and as for Madam's bonnet." He reached for the stiff brimmed flared hat over her hair. "Although I think covering your hair is a shame we must protect you from the sun and the wind. Now are you ready?"

Vicki stood back smoothed her hands over her cloak and smiled. "Do I look all right?" She looked unexpectantly to him and waited anxiously for his nod. She watched a deep smile of appreciation spread over his lips. Immediately, she brightened took a deep breath and nodded, "I just need my reticule and gloves and Sandor has the carriage ready." She glanced to the window and noted that the skies were beginning to cloud over. "Oh dear I guess we better hurry, it looks like it is about to storm."

Barnabas moved to lightly place a kiss on her forehead. "Then my dear allow me, to escort one of the most beautiful women I have ever known to her carriage." Extending his bent elbow he bowed light at the waist and tucked her hand to his arm. Moving her to the door, he opened it and waited for her to go out then followed. He looked down at the carriage and noted that Gregor had pulled up the covering for the carriage. Moving to assist Vicki into the rear of the carriage. He stood back and waited for Barnabas to step in next to Vicki.

Gregor secretly hated this man that held the attention of this pure woman. Although she was gorger and not of his people, he like his aunt was feeling protective towards her. Keeping a stoic calm to his features, he stepped into the driver's seat and lightly flicked the whip; just the sound of the snap of the whip was enough to set the two horses trotting off down the roadway.

*******

Barnabas paced the drawing room of the old house. George, and his men had covered the entire west wing with no sign of Vicki or Quentin. Feeling anxious and knowing something was wrong he looked up when the front door opened and Julia entered followed by Eric. "The door was open Barnabas, is there something we should know? I know we have been gone for a while, but it appears a lot happened since our departure and return."

Julia was looking healthy with a glow of a well-deserved vacation on the Rivera. Her and Eric had taken enough time off to take a small vacation and now Barnabas noted a gold band on her ring finger complimenting her engagement ring. "Julia are you and Eric officially married?" He smiled his congratulation with less exuberance than he should what with his distractions over the missing Quentin and Victoria.

Julia flushed and nodded, "We made it official a week ago and used our trip as a honeymoon." Barnabas noted she also looked a little heavier and studied her waist. He noted she rubbed her hand in an unconscious manner over her stomach and smiled. "We thought it the best since I am pregnant."

"Congratulations to you both on your marriage and starting a family! I am so very happy for the both of you!" He moved to shake Eric's hand and invited them in. "I fear my happiness for you is over shadowed by my concern over an incident that occurred earlier at Collinwood."

Julia moved to sit in the chair by the roll top desk turned to look at Barnabas then to Eric who was now looking as concerned over that cryptic message as Julia. "It would seem that someone abducted Vicki and took her to the West wing of Collinwood with Quentin in pursuit, both of them have disappeared and no sign of their whereabouts are known." He was just short of wringing his hands in his agitation.

Julia heard a scratching sound and all eyes turned to the roll top desk. They watched in amazement as the secret compartment popped open and then a drawer was drawn out slowly to reveal a notebook inside. "Barnabas look!" The room filled with the scent of jasmine. With the accompanying scent of jasmine Barnabas moved to the desk drawer and reached in pulling out the now aged looking notebook. The pages were brittle but the ink on the pages was from a ballpoint pen.

"Odd, its in Quentin's handwriting but it looks as if it has been in there since this desk was stored in the cellar many years ago when I was still living here as a human before Angelique and Bradford's curse."

Thumbing through the book he paused, "Wait, listen to this. . . "

Barnabas began to read from the journal. His tone was somnolent and filled with hope and curiosity. With each word spoken he was beginning to realize what had happened and now had a point of origin to search for Quentin and Vicki.

"Day1, my date I know was March 2, 1968 what date is here I am uncertain but I believe I have been brought back to 1795, which means Barnabas has been chained in his coffin and I am alone unless I can get out of here and seek help or find the stairway in the West Wing myself.

"He says his name is Trask and how he found out about the stairway through time, I don't know. But I do know he utilized it for one purpose. That was to kidnap Vicki and bring her back to 1795. I cannot let him know where she is, and I must try to escape his torture. He persists in me telling him where she is and I refuse to let him do any other harm to her. He is obsessed with her and said that God told him how to find her with the help of the devil's time travel stairs. That is when I realized he had found my stairway through time."

Barnabas moved on to another entry.

" Day 2, my dates are mingled with the past and with my present. He comes he whips me to submission but I refuse to tell him where I hid Vicki. My only hope is that someone finds the closet in the West Wing and they wait for the stairs to appear. They won't understand it was Evan Hanley and myself that using the dark powers we had learned had built that stairway through time in hopes of learning more of our world. That was my first mistake, so much could happen and cause time to change and the flow of time cannot be disrupted or it could endanger all we know."

Barnabas took another breath and then continued to read. "Here I thought we had managed to destroy it but apparently it shift between two universes and now this man has found a way to transcend time use the stairway and here I am. I am not sure how much longer I am going to survive the vicious whippings and beatings he is subjecting me to. I know I don't have the portrait to protect me and I am hoping the curse has not been imposed on me and I don't turn. I fear what I might do should I change and go on a killing rampage, he does keep me chained and I am sure that I have a couple of broken ribs. I need to find a way back so we can go find Vicki and rescue her I am sure she is terrified of her situation thrust into the past like she was before I can only imagine her terror now."

"Day 3, I fear I am growing weaker, I will not write anything down pertaining to Victoria for fear he would use it to go after her again, if I die, I hope this last recording of the events of my demise is exposed and perhaps those that read this might come to save me and together we can save Vicki. I look up at the sliver of light that presents itself through the cracks in the wall and I fear my curse did follow me. Even now I fear seeing a full moon rise and what might happen."

His last entry was cut short and the three surmised that perhaps Trask interrupted him. "I knew I should have ended his life sooner than I had. The man was a threat to Vicki and to my life. I killed him by sealing him into the cellar."

"I suggest we get Elliott and with his help figure out how we can try and manipulate this stairway that Quentin spoke of in his diary. He alone is the only one that knows the time frame we need to search for Victoria." Julia had been thinking about what she had heard and knew that without Elliott's help they would be stymied in attempting to rescue both their friends.

For the first time since Barnabas had learned of what had happened to Vicki and Quentin he felt a glimmer of hope and a muddle of his thoughts was beginning to over take his thinking processes. He was beginning to feel he had grown closer to Vicki in another time and it was unnerving him and distracting him with the plethora of thoughts that were running through his mind. Rising he turned to Eric and Julia, "Then I suggest we go and collect Elliott."

*******

Vicki watched the carriage approach the Porte conchere and smiled. It was like coming home except it was not the right time period. Feeling uncomfortable in the heavy dress she had to admit that the older style dresses from the 18th century were a lot more comfortable without so many contrivances for a woman to handle. She enjoyed the corset that was worn on the outside of the dress and not so much this binding one she was forced to wear and should she get the chance she would throw it away it was uncomfortable.

Her sifting had caught Barnabas' attention. "Are you well my dear you are fidgeting a lot." He whispered softly to her watching the house come into view. He knew she was not happy with the heavy clothing and had to admit he was a lot more comfortable in this style of clothing he was sure than she was.

"It is the clothing is very tight and uncomfortable and I find it annoying me. I will adjust I am sure." She hissed back under her breath as the carriage rolled to a stop. She could not help but notice that there were other carriages also parked by their driver's along the drive way and instructions were being given to head to the barn with the impending storm, the driver's were all told they would be given shelter either I the house or over head in the barn hands rooms.

Barnabas turned and helped Vicki from the carriage and sheltered her against his body as the wind picked up and moved against her cloak and bonnet. Moving her to the door, they knocked and waited patiently for the door to open. With the next gust of wind the doors opened and took them from the hands of the one answering the door.

Daphne Harridge blinked in surprise seeing Vicki first then Barnabas, "Oh my you must have been the one we found in the upstairs of the west wing. What on earth were you doing up there?" She stepped aside to allow them entry way into the foyer. Her smile never left her lips as she walked to the foyer and waited for Amanda to remove Vicki's coat and then take Barnabas' coast. "This is Amanda, she is a cousin of ours and lives with Judith. I understand that you are Barnabas Collins, the son of the other Barnabas, and your name is Victoria Collins?"

Vicki nodded shyly and smiled, "I apologize for what happened that day, I was on my way to the old house to meet up with my husband, we had been married by proxy through a business associate of his father's and my carriage was robbed, and I fear the highway men were going to do harm to me when they drug me into the woods, I was able to escape and I saw your doors to the end of this house and moved to them seeking help and shelter. I found some stairs and climb them hearing voices. When you happened upon me I feared that I was still very distraught and thought you were going to summon the Constable."

It sounded lame but it was the best she could do to make it sound plausible. Daphne looked aghast and shocked, "Well you must imagine if you will that I thought you were my sister Joanna who was to arrive at the same time you were found in the hallway upstairs."

Daniel moved into the hallway from the drawing room and smiled his welcome. "Please do come in and meet the rest of the family, I fear that Edith and Gabriel are late but should be here soon. " Daniel entreated them to join him in the drawing room standing aside and bowing slightly to Vicki as she walked into the room that was like home to her from another time.

She noted there were several people standing or sitting in the various positions in the room. The first lady that caught her attention was one of a well remembered and loved one, "This is my dear sweet daughter Judith Collins, Judith your cousins Barnabas and Victoria." Vicki extended her hand to Judith and shook it lightly with a hand covering pat, something she learned was customary between two women in this century. Barnabas bowed and kissed her hand.

Turning there was a handsome young looking man with sandy blond hair that could easily have passed for a close resemblance to Willie Loomis, "This is my son Carl Collins," Carl moved to Vicki lifted her up spun her around with a high pitched giggle.

"You my dear Victoria are a rare beauty but for another almost like you. There are differences and they are subtle but you do closely resemble Daphne's sister Joanna." Barnabas had tensed when this rapscallion had laid hands on his bride, tensing he watched and waited, turning Carl smiled and hugged Barnabas. "Please to meet you too cousin Barnabas, I can see that apple did not fall far from your father's tree, you look amazing like him." Once again there was that insane sounding girlish giggle.

Vicki flushed from her encounter with Carl turned to see what he meant, there she was an almost double to her Joanna Harridge looked curiously at Victoria and smiled, "I would say you almost look like my mother, she had eyes your color, Daphne and I were blessed with the same color eyes as our father. It is a pleasure and a bit unsettling to make your acquaintance Mrs. Collins, I look forward to many long chants and perhaps strolls in the garden with you soon."

Her voice was softer and more refined as though she had been trained at a finishing school for young noble ladies. Vicki smiled and spoke softly, "I too look forward to such things as sharing our lives with you and your family here."

Daniel chuckled. "Joanna and Daphne are no officially Collins family members at this time. I do believe that my son Edward who was unencumbered by his late wife Laura has proposed marriage to Joanna." Vicki watched a subtle color of a blush wash over her sweet pale features.

"Congratulations my dear. I hope you are as happy and full filled with Edward Collins as I am with Barnabas." She turned expecting to meet Edward and saw a tall form slouched in the corner. "Are you Edward?" she smiled and then her smile froze when the figure pushed from the chair out of the shadows and into full view. "Quentin." She breathed out in a shocked whispered and then caught herself.

Everyone else in the room had been distracted, but for Quentin he distinctly heard her call his name and quirked a brow. "Why yes, have we met before?" He moved with a sardonic smile etching his lips and studied her now flushing features. "You look quite charming when you blush. One would almost think you were an untouched soul the way you shadow that look behind those lovely long eye lashes."

Daniel turned and frowned, seeing his son making free with his charms to his cousins wife. "This of course is my son Quentin Collins." Barnabas had moved protectively forward noting that the man held Vicki's hand a little longer than was polite in company.

"I am pleased to meet you Cousin Quentin." He deftly took Vicki's hand from Quentin inserting his hand into Quentin's. Quentin smiled and with a laconic laugh moved away.

"I am just as sure you will regret those words some day cousin." He moved to the sideboard and poured himself a drink, noting the look on his father's face. They were interrupted from further comments with the arrival of two more coming from the hallway to the drawing room. The one was a man with sandy blond curly hair and blue penetrating eyes that stared right through Vicki with such intensity it unnerved her.

"Ahh Gabriel and Edith do come in, meet your cousins, Barnabas and Victoria this is my son Gabriel and his wife Edith." Barnabas turned to peer over to his other cousin and nodded politely to them both.

"A pleasure to meet you all, when do I get a chance to meet Edward?" Barnabas smiled with charm to Daniel still holding onto Vicki's elbow and guiding her to a chair to let her sit. Quentin watched Vicki over the top of his glass and smiled, she was charming but so was Daphne and Daphne had not succumbed to his charm or his bed. However, this one was an intriguing new find.

Gabriel studied Victoria and noted she looked uncomfortable around so many Collins family members. Pushing his chair closer to her he leaned forward and took her hand raising it to his lips he kissed it. "I am very pleased to meet you once again. I fear we had a mishap and it was a case of mistaken identity that brought us together the last time. I must say it pleases me to know you are a part of our family."

Edith a tall statuesque blond moved to his side and smiled tightly to Vicki, "I look forward to getting to know you better now that we have met formally. It is a pleasure to meet someone with refine tastes." Her words were said in a practiced polite manner but lacked sincerity to any form of her phrasing it.

Vicki smiled, "I would like to invite everyone to the Old House for dinner one day next week if it does not conflict with any plans. " Her words were said with grace and sincerity, which only reminded others of how shallow Edith, had sounded earlier. The result of Vicki's invitation and the unknown slight she had just delivered by being herself had a slight ripple affect around the room.

Gabriel glared at his wife, Quentin chuckled sardonically into his glass, Judith teetered between a giggle and a chuckle, Amanda sighed and shook her head, Daniel harrumphed and Vicki stood feeling embarrassed, "I am sorry if I created a problem, perhaps Barnabas we should take our leave."

Barnabas was distressed by her reaction to those in the room and found that Daniel had produced a brood of ungrateful children that took advantage of the innocent. Daphne and Joanna were the only ones that were immediately concern over their guests not feeling welcome.

"Please it is we are all trying to be mindful of your situation here and we do welcome you and wish you to stay with us for dinner, we have so looked forward to this meeting since learing of your living so close to Collinwood."

Joanna mirrored her sister's sentiment. "Please we only just met and none of us want to get off on the wrong start with each other, we are all very competitive with each other and are more used to our differences. You unfortunately have come upon us when we were not at our best. As a matter of fact we are all still unnerved by something that happened earlier and have found ourselves still unsettled."

Vicki smiled at her twin and relaxed, "I am sorry to hear of your troubles. Is there anything that Barnabas or I can do to help?" She turned extending her gloved hand to Barnabas. He stepped to her side and took her hand in his and looked around at those that had gathered and could see subtle likenesses to his own family. Judith was so like his mother and Elizabeth. Edith was a blond cold beauty that had to contend with a crippled husband who was obviously over indulged and spoiled.

Carl suffered some type of mental malaise that made him almost child like, he had yet to meet Edward but wondered if he was a kind man or the only stable one since he had made a selection of Joanna as his wife. "Please stay, you should see the family at its best and its worse." Quentin spoke with a degree of sarcasm from the side of the room where he sat and nursed his drink.

From the open doorway a young boy appeared and darted into the room. "You must be Cousin Barnabas and you are his wife Victoria?" he was so much like David that Vicki was immediately put at ease with him.

"Why yes we are and who are you young man?" Barnabas bent over to shake his hand. Noting how like Daniel was at that age.

Daniel stepped forward and rubbed the young man's arms. "This is my grandson Thaddeus we call him Tad. He is Edward's son." Daniel sounded proud of the fact that his eldest son had given him and heir. Quentin smirked, he knew that it was more than likely his son since he and Laura had an affaire and shortly after their affaire Laura had announced she was pregnant. He was not about to take that from his older brother but he would take the fact that she was pregnant with his son or daughter when she went into those flames in Egypt.

Vicki offered her hand to him, " A pleasure Master Da, Tad." She had started to say David but caught herself before she finished. He quirked a brow and then laughed.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you two, I had seen you working in the old house and wondered who you were and came back and told Grandfather there were other people living in the old house besides the gypsies and he had to go and meet you."

He had rushed it all out in one breath that Vicki chuckled, "Well I am glad you did. Now as I said before Barnabas and I would like to invite all of you to join us for a Collins family dinner at the old house next Friday if it does not conflict with any plans you may have."

Daniel looked around at his family and had to admit at least for once they were on their best behavior. For that he was grateful.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

1796

Victoria tossed and turned in the bed, it was not her own and she was now out of her time, she was transported back to 1796 and she was back at Collinwood, not the Collinwood she had lived in but the new Collinwood with people she had loved in another life time and shared their lives. However, this Barnabas was very charming and endearing and she thought she was falling in love with him all over again. He was so much like her Barnabas in 1967. She knew he was destined to be with Josette and then to loose her to Jeremiah and then there was Jeremiah, he was so handsome and just like Burke, those old feelings had not gone away. They like this night still haunted her.

Rising before dawn, she pulled the shawl close to her lightly clad body. Naomi had given the long gown to her and it was lightweight as it clung to her sweat covered body. Moving to the window that over looked the back garden she knew she would have to avoid Abigail at all costs she was the one provocateur that had caused many so much misery. She was pointing fingers at her now and then there was Trask. He was the one factor in this time that had scared her to death. He was a sick perverted man. The very thought she would consider his proposal made her cringe.

Feeling claustrophobic she moved to pull on her housecoat. She needed a walk, maybe on the beach to clear her mind and to help her come back to rest. She wanted so desperately to go home to be where she was loved and she was happy and she could live her life in its natural course. Grabbing a cloak she knew the breeze from the mighty Atlantic would be cool this time of the year that was the one constant part of her life she knew she could count on. Making her way quietly down the now sleeping house she moved to the rear servant's stairs and down them.

Carefully she opened the door and let herself out. Moving to the rear garden, she walked around to the pathways that lead to widow's hill. Looking to her left she could see the nearly completed Collinwood, its great hulking structure outlined like some great giant dark mass outlined with its partially completed spires and roof against the ending of this night. A faint strip of grey was etching itself across the night sky growing with the promise of a new dawn.

Walking past the pathway that moved to widows hill she took the switch back path that moved to the beach. Slowly holding the end of her gown and cloak in her hands she balanced and moved to the beach just as dawn peaked its warming tendrils over the ocean. The view was worth the wait to see as dawns early light scattered the cloudbank that had held its cloying darkness to the ground. Stepping to the beach she paused and looked around.

She saw something in the surf and paused what was it could it be a body? She did not want to see a dead person but a compulsion to make sure it was a body and he was not dead drove her forward. Moving quickly along the beach pathway she knelt to the side of the man that laid face down in the wet sand. "Sir?" She spoke softly, pushed him and rolled him over. He was not dead, his clothing had been torn to tatters and he was covered in bloodstains.

She quickly checked him for damage and found he had been sorely abused and must have been whipped and beaten repeatedly. Her compassion for his condition was immediate as she tenderly pushed his hair from his face and touched the many scars that were formed over his body. She noted he wore a belt that was more from the 20th century than this century. He also wore a pair of badly abused trousers of impeccable cut and blend that also denoted he was from the 20th century. He moaned and then grabbed her close to him holding her tightly. "My god Vicki you are safe! He did not find you did he?"

Vicki started to struggle against his hold and then relaxed when he called her name and spoke as if he knew her. Did he think she was the other Victoria? "Sir? Who are you?" She pushed against his chest to feel him draw her head to his and stroke her hair with a soft sigh of relief. "I could not let that demon have you. When I heard you scream when you left Carolyn's room, I knew I had to go after you and rescue from him. You need to be with Barnabas. Its him that you love and not Trask."

In those few words she knew he knew her from the future. "Sir? Who are you? How do I know you? How do you know me?" She tried again to push against his chest and looked at him lying disheveled and covered in surf and sand. Her eyes searched his handsome face and moved to brush the sand from his cheek. He smiled at her and those deep blue eyes held her and she felt she should know him.

He looked at her face and saw her confusion written there. "Of course we have not met yet, this was your first trip back to 1796 after the séance and I had not arrived at Collinwood. You poor child of course you don't know me." He gave a halfhearted laugh and sat up grabbing her and holding her close. "That is probably when Trask first met you and decided you had to be with him." He cupped her face in his hands and looked into her confused and fear filled eyes. "We know each other, we have not met for you at this time. Just trust me Vicki, I know of you and I know of Barnabas and Elizabeth, Roger, Carolyn and David. I know it all and I was thrust back in this time by Trask."

Vicki could feel the waves inching closer to their location and moved to stand, holding her hand down to him she offered to help him up. "I am so sorry I don't know you. " He pulled against her and stood and she had to admit he was a sorry sight. "Come we need to get you out of those clothing and into something more substantial to wear. You must tell me what you are doing here and how you got here if you know all the people I know."

He took a step forward and staggered nearly falling and she moved to catch him. "Here hold onto me and we will get you somewhere safe. She began to move with him when she heard the sound of hoof beats on the surf. "Hold! Who goes there!" The voice was familiar and at one time well loved. Looking up she saw Jeremiah on horse back riding towards them. Vicki caught her breath and looked at the man holding onto her. How could she possibly explain this to Jeremiah?

Quentin could read her panic and knew her like he knew a well-read book, one he might have written. "Leave this to me. I will do the explaining." Vicki supported him to her body as Jeremiah pulled his horse to a stop in front of them.

"Miss Winters? What are you doing on this beach and who is this man?" Jeremiah dismounted and saw the condition the man was in and frowned. "Are you harm my dear? Did this man assault you?"

Vicki was quick to defend. "No, Mr. Collins, I could not sleep and I went for a walk and found this man washed upon the beach." She turned to look at the man holding onto her like an anchor. Jeremiah realizing he was injured moved forward to relieve her of the burden of his weight.

"My name is Quentin Collins, I am from France. I was on a ship and privateers attacked us, there was a horrible fight and our ship was sunk, I held onto a part of the ship until we got close to shore and then I swam the rest of the way to shore and collapsed here. I was trying to get to Collinwood and meet my distant relatives."

Jeremiah blinked in surprise, "Collins, you have arrived at Collinwood though not competed, you are here my cousin and friend. Here allow us to get you to the house. Miss Winters will you help me lift him to the back of my horse and we can take him back and call the doctor?" Vicki watched Jeremiah go from suspicion to tender care. She was trying very hard to process this information he had just told Jeremiah.

He said his name was Quentin Collins, so she must be destined to meet him after she returns from this time. So there is hope she is going back to her time. She was going back to her life and to her Barnabas. It also seemed from what he was saying that her and Barnabas become closer and must be lovers or at least closer than they were. Struggling with Jeremiah to get the tall man with a nice muscular build on the back of Jeremiah's horse. She felt exhausted and was ready to change and go to bed.

"I hope to introduce you to my brother and his wife, my wife and my brother's family. They will all be excited to know there is another Collins to welcome to the family. Come along Miss Winters this is no place for a lady of breeding and standing to be. You must come and change before you catch your death of a chill." Jeremiah had taken his cloak off and draped it over Vicki who immediately took it to Quentin.

"Thank you Mr. Collins but this Mr. Collins needs this far more than I." She knew he was being gallant by offering her his cloak but the man on horse back was the one in need. Quentin took the cloak and draped it around his body he was grateful for the warmth it offered.

"Thank you Miss Winters." He smiled and that smile was charming. Jeremiah felt a momentary flush of jealousy and knew it was unreasonable he was a married man with an adulterous wife. He could not prove it but he was just as sure that she was being unfaithful with his nephew and this would be shown soon enough. Jeremiah took the reins and turned to throw a protective arm around Vicki's shoulders.

"Come daylight is upon us and we need to get out of the arriving weather." He had glanced to the north and saw the rolling cloudbank as it made its way towards the beachhead. "If we hurry we will avoid any of the rain it bears and won't have to worry about becoming chilled." Jeremiah hurried them up the pathway and along the path towards the front of the house where a sleepy stable boy slept waiting for his master to return.

The boy rushed forward and took the reins from Jeremiah, while Quentin tried to dismount only to fall down and collapse on the ground. "Miss Winters run and fetch some help, we need to carry him to a room and get him warm, he is hurt and I fear falling seriously ill."

Vicki rushed into the foyer looked around and saw two of the male servants. "Mr. Collins needs you please hurry!" The two men rushed out of the front door and found Jeremiah trying to help Quentin to stand. Vicki stood back and looked for Mrs. Hudson, "Please go prepare a room for a guest."

Josette appeared at the top of the stairs in her gown and housecoat she looked anxiously down at the flurry of activity now happening in the foyer, "Victoria what is happening?" She looked at her husband carrying in a strange man with two of the servants. Mrs. Hudson had rushed up the stairs and past Mrs. Collins.

"Apparently a cousin from France was attacked at sea and washed up on the beach and has been injured Jeremiah is helping him." Jeremiah looked past his beautiful wife standing in her gown looking confused as he helped carry Quentin to one of the guest bedrooms. Vicki climbed the stairs and looked at Josette.

"Perhaps we should get you into your clothing and ready for the day." Vicki cupped Josette's elbow and led her back to her bedroom. Josette turned to see Vicki was hardly dressed for the morning and frowned.

"We need to get you out of those wet clothing." Josette pulled Vicki's cloak from her body allowing it to drip on the floor, moving to the hallway she found the first maid she could find. "Bring Miss Winters some dry clothing quickly, she is soaked to the bone and surely will catch her death."

Josette bustled about the room finding a nice soft cloth to dry Vicki, "Perhaps you should have a nice hot bath! Yes that is it, you need a bath and I will see them draw you one immediately." Vicki tried to stop her but she was gone and Vicki was left in Josette's room looking around at what would be Elizabeth's room some day. Pealing her wet gown off and draping it over a chair she stood near naked in the middle of the room when the door was thrust open and a very startled and embarrassed Barnabas stood looking on the nymph of great beauty.

"Oh my pardon Miss Winters I did not realize you were here indelicate'." He closed the door his face flaming red but his mind pleased with what he had observed. Vicki reached for a blanket and drug it around her body and moved to the door with her face flaming with embarrassment.

"Mr. Collins I am so sorry, someone should have told you Miss Josette was going to have a hot bath drawn for me." She opened the door and stood in the hallway looking very much bedraggled and lost. He found he was somewhat attracted to her in this manner and not because he had just seen her in her all together nothing. He wanted to reassure her that he meant no ill or harm with his entrance into the bedroom of his uncle's wife.

"I heard we had a new visitor that arrived and been ill treated and that you were the one that found him. I was curious and knew Josette would be arranging rooms and help for the unfortunate cousin from France." He tried to not look at her shivering in the blanket in the hallway but the previous image was indelibly inscribed on his memory.

"Barnabas! There you are and Miss Winters, Josette says your bath is ready and you should come to the bathing chambers now." Joshua moved with some degree of force and looking very harassed as he advanced down the hallway to Vicki and Barnabas. Vicki smiled shyly to Joshua excused herself stepping past them to hurry down the hallway.

"What are you doing here with Miss Winters in what some could call a scandalous situation. If my eyes do not deceive me she looked to be less than acceptable for gentlemen callers and she was obviously coming from Josette's room. Please do not disgrace me or your Uncle's wife by allowing her husband to find you here."

Barnabas held his temper and glared at his father. "I was merely trying to ascertain who the man was that Jeremiah and Miss Winter's rescued. I was actually looking for Miss Winters and thought she was in Josette's room. I did not realize she was not prepared for any callers. Obviously, Josette had put in motion the ability to make her more comfortable and dry. From what I understand our relative is in far worse shape than Miss Winters and she was the one to originally find him lying near death on the beach."

"That is why I came looking for you, I thought you would like to join me in introducing ourselves to our relative now that the doctor has seen to his needs and ordered him to rest in bed for the next two days." Joshua postured his body to stand erect and to look with a supercilious note down his nose to his son. With hands locked behind his back Barnabas oft time wondered if he did this to keep from striking him across the face in his anger. He would not have put it past him to attempt such a thing to teach him a lesson.

Daniel and Sarah ran down the hallway all excited, "Oh Father you must come meet Quentin, he is most handsome and is so funny when he speaks he sounds a lot like Miss Winters with the way he turns his phrases." Sarah turned her excited eyes upon her brother and smiled "Oh Brother you too must come to meet cousin Quentin he is so much fun! Come alone!" she reached and tugged on his hand to pull him down the hallway to the room that Quentin had been placed.

Joshua at a more sedate pace turned and followed the entourage down the hallway to pause outside a closed door. Barnabas knocked lightly to a soft deep voice calling, "Come in." Barnabas waited for his father to join him then turned the knob and entered the room to come up short and look upon the man that was his cousin. The blue eyes that peered back at him were no more surprised than Barnabas at seeing a resemblance to his grandfather when he looked at Quentin.

"I can see there is no denying you are a Collins by your looks alone you resembled Isaiah Collins my grandfather." Barnabas smiled and stepped forward extending his hand in friendship to the bedbound man. Quentin studied the hand and then the face of the man standing before him and it was as if he were back at Collinwood in 1968. This man was his cousin he had come to believe in and care about in the future. He was as Vicki had been a witness to this time before the great debacle that cost him his humanity.

"Is there a problem?" Barnabas noted he held onto his hand a bit longer and his gaze was fixed and penetrating to the point it was almost an embarrassment. Quentin realizing he had held his hand too long and was being rude dropped the hand and extended his hand to the man that slightly resembled Roger Collins from his time.

"No problem it was you reminded me so much of someone I know back in France that for a moment I was nostalgic and held to that dear memory of a very dear and loving family member that was like a brother to me. Forgive me." He took Joshua's hand and smiled, "And you sir do remind me greatly of my father in looks. I believe Isaiah Collins was my Grandfather as well, my father was . . . " He had to think about the family history and knew what side of the family he was propagated from was Daniel's.

"You must be my Uncle Malachi's family. They migrated to France in the mid 1700's before the Great War ripped this country apart." Joshua spoke proudly of his family and their migration to the other countries. "We lost contact with them once they arrived in Paris and just figured they were busy with their own business dealings."

The two younger members of the family pushed past Barnabas and Joshua. "Oh Cousin Quentin you did not get to meet my adopted brother Daniel." Sarah drug Daniel forward and Quentin's eyes riveted to the small cherubic features of the young boy in front of him. For a long moment Quentin let his gaze travel over the innocent face of Daniel Collins his father. He felt a plethora of emotions wash over him.

The Daniel he knew had been a strict disciplinarian and demanding from his children, which only evoked a need to rebel against his authority. Looking at Joshua and then Daniel he frowned. "Your adopted brother?" He looked at Sarah and then to the boy that would some day be his father. He reached forward and carefully with tender fingers traced his face with his fingertips. "I had not heard you had another son cousin Joshua."

Joshua sighed deeply, "Daniel is the product of an illicit affair between his mother a Collins and some brigand that took her virtue in hopes of compromising her to get her fortune, fortunately for me the man perished during the war and Daniel well his sister and he were sent to me. I have opted to adopt him into our family and give him a decent name and a claim to his mother's fortune." Quentin was shocked to learn Daniel was adopted and not a product of Joshua and Naomi's coupling.

"That was very good of you cousin Joshua. You Daniel are you happy here in this family?" The question was an honest one and for Quentin a hope of discovering more of his father as a young man. He watched Daniel look up to Joshua with pride, loyalty and undeniable love.

"I am very proud to be a member of Father Joshua's family. He has made me realize how important the Collins names means and what we sacrificed to keep our home safe and free from the crown's rule." He spoke with his innocent reflection of what Quentin was sure the hand of Joshua coming down on the boy's education. Quentin chuckled softly.

"I am sure you are my dear boy." He began to look worn out when a soft voice from the door caught their attention. All eyes turned to look at Victoria standing in a pristine soft yellow dress with a lovely yellow ribbon in her hair. She was a vision in the sunshine and for a moment Quentin, Barnabas both were struck by the shear beauty of her innocence dressed as she was and standing shyly in the doorway.

"Excuse me the doctor did say that Mr. Collins was to rest and as much as I know you all wish to get to know your cousin I must insist that you leave him to rest. Mr. Joshua Collins your wife Naomi is requesting your attention in the drawing room. Mr. Barnabas Collins, your presence is requested at the old house Mr. Bradford is asking after you. And you two your governess Miss Wick is looking for you to continue your studies."

Vicki stood primly in the doorway and waited for them to leave the room. Sarah and Daniel both moved forward and with the unabashed openness of children they hugged Quentin. Quentin held a little longer to David's frail body. They turned paused by Vicki and waved to Quentin then were gone from sight.

Barnabas smiled at Vicki turned to Quentin and bowed, "Until later cousin I look forward to getting to know you better." Barnabas turned bowed to his father and stiffly left the room pausing briefly by Vicki to whisper softly. "The view this morning although uncomfortable for us both was a delightful sight to see so early." With a soft chuckle he left her red faced looking from Quentin to Joshua.

Joshua harrumphed then smiled at Vicki, he truly had learned to appreciate who she was and what she had done for his family in her brief stay there. Moved past Vicki he paused and winked, "Either one of them would make a fine husband you might consider becoming a Collins my dear we could use with such strong stock as you obviously come from and could enjoy the addition to this family."

The caused another soft flush of color to flood her face and she waited for them to leave when she entered his room and closed the door. "Now for you Mr. Quentin Collins you have a lot to explain but not now. The doctor was adamant about you resting and that is what you will need to do." She moved to draw the curtains and then turned to cover him with his blanket to feel his hand couple with hers and a look of concern filled his eyes.

"Vicki we must talk, I can promise you this, we know each other and we are connected. I don't know how I came to be here, I was brought back a little before this time after you had returned to Collinwood and now after waking up on the beach unless I was not sure when I entered the stairway of time, I have come back further you must tell me what year this is?"

Vicki looked startled at such a question, "Why it is June of 1796, what year did you think it was?" Quentin had to think when was it that Trask had brought him here.

"I was sure it was around November of 1796 around the time that Peter Bradford . . . " He had to remember she did not know about Barnabas or what had happened to him after Bradford.

"Before Bradford did what Quentin?" She sat on the edge of his bed and looked at the confusion that was written across his face.

"When did the old house become vacant?"

"Why since my arrival here it has never been vacant, Barnabas and Bradford reside there and the Joshua Collins family have moved in about two weeks ago."

"Then I must have found the stairway in time and come to this time in this year, I was sure the old house was vacant and abandoned. That is where Trask had me held and was beating me for information on where I hid you. He had kidnapped you from the East Wing of Collinwood and forced you down the hallway into the stairway of time. I pursued him and caught up with him and we fought, I grabbed you and took you to another time. The problem is I don't remember which time it was."

Vicki was trying to understand these wild babblings but who was she to judge? She had after all come back here during a séance at the old house. "Perhaps the best thing is for you to rest and we can speak later. You are exhausted and have been ill treated." She stood smiled and moved to the door.

"Vicki you are going to marry Barnabas you had just gotten engaged and was planning your wedding when you were kidnapped. This I know for a fact you made a beautiful bride in your mother's wedding dress." The last words were said so softly she had not heard him as she closed the door thinking about her marrying Barnabas.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

1795

Quentin heard the loud voices downstairs. He could pick out Joshua’s anger filled tones and the wailing and screaming of a woman. Jumping from the bed, he slipped on his trousers and ran towards the front hall landing. Opening the door what he witnessed was heartbreaking and angering. Below the Bailiff was dragging off that sweet governess Miss Wycke at least that is what he thought her name was since they kept calling her that.

Joshua had followed and the man he had learned to hate in a short period of time now advanced on Victoria. Quentin heard his indecent proposal to her and this incensed him. Rushing down the steps he pulled Trask away from Victoria and threw him across the room. The look was more than menacing as Quentin advanced on Trasks fallen form. “If ever I see you near her again I will thrash you within an inch of your rotten miserable life and send you to your god and let him judge you!” 

Joshua hearing the yelling from outside rushed into the foyer and saw Quentin towering over Trask. “What is the meaning of this?” 

Quentin turned and glared at Joshua and as his anger cleared he spoke softly, “This man just told Miss Winters he would not pursue any further investigations against her if she would consent to lay with him and be his mistress!” 

Quentin watched Joshua’s face begin to suffuse several shades of red and he was sure he was about to explode with apoplexy if he continued with the withheld rage. “Sir, remove your presence from this house immediately and if ever you come here again I will have them set the dogs on you. The Governor is going to hear of this atrocity brought against a noble guest in my house!” Joshua with Quentin’s help lifted Trask from the floor and threw him out the front door. 

Slamming the door Joshua turned to Vicki and placed tender caring hands on her trembling shoulders over bright eyes looked around and then back to Joshua. “I fear I have brought shame to your home Mr. Collins, please forgive me. I cannot express my sincere apologies enough.”

Joshua drug her into his comforting arms and spoke softly to her. “There, there Miss Winters calm yourself. That scoundrel will never be near you again as long as I have a say over this house and this family you will be safe here.”

“Joshua what is happening?” Naomi moved onto the landing with Josette following him. Quentin turned to the sound of the new voice and was thunderstruck. Elizabeth was standing on that balcony now along with Maggie Evans. Was he going mad?

“Naomi please come help Miss Winters she was just accosted by that poor excuse for a man Trask!” Vicki had stepped away and turned to move to Quentin.

Placing her hand on his shoulder she smiled and spoke softly, “Thank you Mr. Collins I don’t know what I would have done had you not been there to witness that despicable man’s proposal.” 

Naomi was immediately concerned hearing that Trask had attacked Victoria. Moving to her side she looked curiously to the handsome man now standing half dressed next to Victoria and she took Vicki into a warm embrace. “Oh you poor child and I suppose that monster has poor Miss Wycke?” She turned peering at Joshua.

“Yes, he had the Bailiff and a warrant for her arrest.” Joshua was still burning over the backhanded way this whole thing had been handled and then to discover that Trask was now pursuing an alleged allegation against Miss Winters was tearing into the core of his being. He had hopes of possibly marrying her off to Barnabas to stop all this nonsense of his being attracted to Josette.

Josette moved forward, “Come why not adjourn to the drawing room. I am sure we all would be far more comfortable unless Mr. Quentin Collins would like to retire to his bed?” She smiled graciously and looked expectantly to Victoria who was obviously still distressed. Turning she moved to the drawing room and waited for them to join her.

Vicki glanced at Quentin and then at his bare feet and for a moment only gave him the slightest of a smile. “Perhaps if nothing else he would like to go to his room to finish dressing?” 

Quentin leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I shall return when I am better dressed.” He bowed to the ladies taking Naomi’s hand to kiss it. “I look forward to meeting the whole family now if you will excuse me I shall go dress and be happy to join you.” 

1845

Victoria smoothed her gown down and looked around the dining room to make sure it was dressed to perfection. She did not wish to admit that she was nervous but she was. From behind she felt the gentle caress of a hand as it inched its way around her waist to pull her up next to his body. She had to get used to the fact he was not warmed bodied as she was and smiled loving the feel of his touch. “My dearest Victoria you have out done yourself. This reminds me of times past when my parents had such grand dinners here in this room!” 

He kissed her neck and then her cheek and stepped back. She had fed him earlier and was feeling a little weak but her new abilities was rapidly repairing what he had taken from her. She could not help but note he was more flush and pink when he had fed. Not as pale when he first awoke after not having fed for a couple of days. 

Magda moved into the room with a snarl on her upper lip. “Your guests are here. Sandor and I will be in our room if you need us.” She looked around at the extra servants that had been sent to help from the big house for the night. She did not like strangers in the house with them and she certainly did not like being excluded but she loathed most the Collins family members. 

Victoria turned and looked with concern and compassion to Magda. “Magda, did you and Sandor get your supper? Do you need me to have the servants bring you something to your room?” 

Magda waved her hand, “No we ate we are going to be in our room. I will say good night.” She turned and with the clinking and clattering of her jewelry she moved from the room to the servants quarters. Moving up the stairs to her room she opened the door to see Sandor sitting quietly in front of the fireplace. 

“Why do we stay? You know we are travelers we should be moving on.” Sandor looked up from the fire to the face of the woman he had fallen hopelessly in love with so long ago. 

“We stay because of Ginny. Once I know she will be fine with that man in the big house then we can go and be happy somewhere else.” Magda had spoken and because she was the alpha mate in this relationship Sandor nodded. 

“As you wish Magda, just know this is a bad situation where we live here with that undead man holding his power over the both of us.” He had sighed softly and held out his arms to her and Magda moved to his arms and sat on his lap.

“You know how much I love you Sandor? I love you with all my heart. “ She kissed him and stoke his hair from his eyes looking deeply into them she spoke from her heart.

Sandor knew she meant it and he loved her with all his heart. “I give you my heart the only thing that moves with me my dearest lover.” He sighed closed his eyes and was happy to feel her so close to his aging body. “For you Magda we stay to protect Ginny.”

1795

Victoria stood on the edge of Widow’s Hill her life had been turned upside down since that séance at the old house. She had no idea what she was doing here and now she had a new element that had presented itself to her life while here another from her time that knew her but she had yet to meet him in that time. She rubbed her arms and watched the surf. “I think the weather is about to turn Miss Winters, perhaps you should go back to the house. Josette is looking for you.” 

Vicki turned and smiled at the well-loved features of Burke Devlin but she knew Burke was dead and this man was not Burke he was Jeremiah Collins the husband to another woman. “I just needed some time to collect my thoughts Mr. Collins.” She shivered in her cloak and found he had removed his cloak and draped it over her shoulders. The scent of him was strong and she noted he favored a soft scent that was almost like sandalwood. It was the soap he used to have and bathe with and she knew it was his solely

Barnabas favored a scent of vanilla beans and a subtle scent of exotic oil from the West Indies. Something he must have picked up from the island of Martinique. She loved the differences between the two men. Shrugging into the warmth of the cape she sighed. “Now you will be cold Mr. Collins, I really need to give you back your cape.”

She removed it and felt him cover her hand with his and for a moment there was a charge of electricity between the two of them. Vicki flushed and withdrew her hand. “No you are cold my dear and it would not do to allow my wife’s good friend to grow ill.” She turned from him, just that touch had renewed old feelings she once held for Burke.

Turning from him she peered out over the ocean’s depths and was transported to a time so long ago when she had shared such intimate moments on this hilltop with Burke. She caught her breath and choked back her emotions. Blinking quickly to try and control the tears that were about to flow from her she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Have I offended you Miss Winters?” Jeremiah was once again worried he had caused her some distress by holding her hand a little too long. He had to admit he loved the feel of her soft hands when they caressed his and he found his thoughts going to wanting to steel a kiss from her and knew it would be wrong and so did she. He suspected she held tender feelings for him but was afraid of allowing them to grow any further than just friendship. 

“Oh no, no, no Mr. Collins I felt a moment of weakness over a random thought and was remembering a man I once knew and you remind me of him.”

“He was special?” He moved to close the distance between them. He put his hand on her shoulder and found she was still trembling and wondered if it was because of him and her feelings for him. 

She nodded slowly, “I think he was very special from what I can remember. I even think maybe we were engaged and well, I think he died.” She sighed softly and looked at the hand resting on her shoulder. Reaching up she covered his hand with hers and spoke softly. “They are flashes of memories. I see a man very much like you and he is very tender to me and my feelings are similarly returned.”

Burke cupped her chin with his fingertips and peered into her eyes and began to lower his lips to hers. She closed her eyes in anticipation of the kiss when a voice interrupted. “Excuse me and I interrupting?” 

Vicki was startled and stepped back and felt her feet slip and she was falling when she felt a grip on her wrist. The wind whipped at her body as she dangled over the side of the cliff. “Miss Winters hold on!” Jeremiah had grabbed her wrist and pulled turned seeing Quentin. 

Quentin rushed forward going to his knees he leaned over and grabbed her other arm and together the two men pulled her to safety letting her collapse to the ground into Quentin’s arms. “Oh Victoria! What would Barnabas had said if I had not protected you!” He stroked her hair from her face looking with deep concern and fear into her wide expression filled eyes. Shocked she turned to look from Quentin to Jeremiah.

“You two know each other?” Jeremiah was shocked to hear Quentin say that he as protecting her for Barnabas. 

Quentin stood and helped Vicki up. “I think its time we had a little discussion Jeremiah. I just ask you keep an open mind and hear me out and hear out Miss Winters. You see we are two people out of our time. Victoria is here by some means I have no idea how except other forces were at work to bring her back here to save the Collins family. As for me that horrible man Trask found something I had thought had been long destroyed and brought me back to torture me and force me to tell him where I had hidden Victoria the problem is I have skipped backwards in time and now I am here with Victoria.”

Jeremiah looked at Vicki then to Quentin and shook his head. “You are asking me to believe in sorcery and I do not are you even a Collins?” 

Vicki sighed and looked down, “Allow me to tell you all I know Jeremiah things I know about your family and Quentin. Yes, he is a Collins, he is from the same year as I am but for the life of me I don’t know him because we have not met. But hear us out please, allow us to tell you things about your life and your life to come to convince you we speak the truth and for the love of God do not call Trask or the Bailiff. I do not wish to hang or burn.” 

Quentin sighed rubbed his hand over his head and then nodded. “Perhaps there is somewhere we can go to speak in private and try to convince you that what we say is the truth.” 

Vicki held up her hand. “I know a place we can go and talk and have privacy and you will be partially convince I speak the truth. Lets go to the family mausoleum.” Vicki took a deep breath she had just come so close to death and now she was feeling the near death experience but more than that she was about to confess to a man from the 18th Century that she was here from the 20th century. Walking towards the pathway that led to Eagle Hill Cemetery she spoke softly. “Here is all I know from the history books in Collinwood. You see I did some extensive research on the Collins Family because of the Barnabas from my time that is the great, great grandson of this Barnabas. You see I think we are growing closer and have shared feelings for one another.”

She paused to catch her breath. “I know how hard this is for you Vicki, but together we will assure Jeremiah that his legacy lives on and we are here to correct a wrong to keep this family line alive.”

Vicki sighed, “Yes, of course Quentin.” Vicki moved forward with the two men. Moving through the fog shrouded tombstones she sighed as she approached a place that had been a refuge and a part of her history. Moving to the lion’s head she reached for the ring and pulled. Jeremiah stood shocked that she knew about the secret room.

She waited for the door to open and then stepped down the stairs to stand in the center of the room. “This room was made by you and your father to store munitions for the war effort. You stored guns and powder in here from the English.” She noticed that Quentin was equally surprised about this room. Both men moved into the room Vicki closed the door and turned.

“Now to get out of this room, there is a lever under this stone.” She tapped her foot on the stone. The brick can move and then you pull the lever and it opens the door.” She moved to the center of the empty room. “Your decision to build Collinwood was so that you could have your whole family under one roof with your new bride and your future family. Joshua gave you some grief about wishing to stay in the old house because that was his home and you were the master of Collinwood. But to share with your brother all you had accomplished you gave up that right to be master of Collinwood to Joshua.”

She sighed deeply and then she turned to look at Quentin, “We later learned that the old house was signed over to your nephew Barnabas as a gift for him to raise his family. That is where the current and by current I mean from my time, Barnabas lives and where I believe some day I shall according to what Quentin tells me will live as his wife.” 

“Yes, well your Barnabas is going to move to England and start a family there. When his line begins to dwindle he comes to Collinsport from Cadogan Square London England. My family immigrated to France and well I became world traveled and actually lived in Collinwood for a number of years under Daniel’s auspices. He was a generous host to me.” Quentin hedged on that piece of information. “I always felt I was more Collins from the Americas than I was from France.”

Vicki nodded and folded her arms over her chest. “As for me I came here as a governess to a young man named David Collins and David is an identical twin to Daniel. Elizabeth is very much the same as Naomi. Through this association I came to love the past and my Barnabas and I spoke of hours of the time that had long past. The problem is I am here now because of some sorcery and not by those or me I know here but by another that has vengeance in their heart to destroy the Collins family. I can tell you where and why you built certain parts of Collinwood.”

She looked around the secret room. “Collinwood has many secret passages, one of which is built leading to and from the drawing room. In the bedroom I was given and where Josette stayed before she took up your room, there is a secret passage. That is the very same room I use while I am in residence at Collinwood in my time. But more importantly I can prove what I say just by quoting something you wrote in your very own diary that no one would know but you.”

Jeremiah looked half afraid for her to reveal what she was about to say. “My love for Josette grows with each passing day. I fear however that I have found tender feelings for another and that other is not for me. I am a married man and I must be faithful to my wife even if she is not faithful to me.” Her words had grown soft with compassion and with a hint of regret. “You wrote those words a week ago and that diary was kept in a safe place you had it hidden in a wall safe in your bedroom.”

Jeremiah staggered back his eyes wide and his face draining with color as he leaned heavily to the wall. “There is no way you could know this. How is this possible?” His words were ragged and filled with raw emotions. 

“It is possible because there is a witch at Collinwood and she is here to hurt those that have rejected her feelings and she is here to destroy those that she perceived caused her this pain, it is a woman scorned.” Quentin sighed deeply and looked at Victoria. “And her name is Angelique. She is about to unleash a curse on Collinwood that we have never seen the likes of since Isaac Collins passed judgment on Judah Zachary. “ 

Vicki nodded and then turned and looked curiously at Quentin, “You found out who the witch was?” 

Quentin nodded, “She continued to create problems even in our time but she has since been silenced by Judah Zachary. We have not had the displeasure of her company for sometime. I also took care of Bradford.” 

Both turned to look curiously at Quentin. “What is this of Bradford?” Jeremiah asked with a degree of concern. This was the best friend to his nephew. 

Quentin knew he had made a mistake mentioning Bradford. “Not the one I am sure you are thinking of there was a Bradford from this time and I am sure you agree that the name of Bradford is a common name.” Quentin tried hard to cover his mistake. Vicki was not so convinced. She knew that the Peter Bradford she knew in this time had ties to this Barnabas and Miss Wycke. 

“Of course it is an old New England name well respected in this area.” Jeremiah sighed and moved to open the door to the secret room. “Well I must say I am astounded to hear such accountings and find myself completely flummoxed by your account of how you both came to be here. I hope you don’t mind I take time to think through all you have told me and allow me to draw my own conclusions?”

Vicki nodded feeling anxious, she was one step away from the gallows if this man decided to go to Trask. Quentin was beginning to feel the itching sensation as the moon was threatening to break through the cloud cover. Turning from them he spoke softly. “if you will allow me some moments alone I would like to reflect on my situation and that of Miss Winters.”

The two nodded to Quentin and turned to leave him alone in the secret room. It felt like a thousand ants were crawling over his arms and he knew the pain would be coming. He had two more days of a full moon and he needed to close that door and take his shirt off. Watching them leave he pushed the door shut and removed his shirt and then his britches. Sitting down on his haunches he felt the pain grip him. With the first pains of transformation upon him he curled into a knot and screamed out in pain. Thanking whatever powers to be that they had found him a safe haven to hide in while he went through this ordeal.

1845

The Collins family gathered around the expansively long table with Barnabas at one end and allowing Daniel to sit at the head of the table at the other end. Barnabas had Vicki seated to his right and Quentin to his left. Daniel had his wife Harriet to his right and across from her was Edward and next to Edward was Joanna, Carl was next to Harriett was Daphne, Carl, and Edith, Amanda and Tad took up the rest of the chairs. Barnabas had pushed his food around on his plate and taken small bites. He knew later he would have to throw them up because he body would not process this source of fuel. 

The conversation had been around them making welcome the newest members of the Collins Family. Vicki sat quietly listening to the conversation with an anxious feeling that something was not quiet right. She could not put a finger on it but it was like she had lived through this part of her life all over again and she knew instinctively the next thing that would happen is that Quentin was about to become fresh with her and try to seduce her and she did not know how she knew this she just knew it was about to happen and she was nervous and made plans to avoid Quentin at all costs. 

Sipping lightly from her wine glass she waited as Daniel stood and proposed a toast to the newest members and for many more family dinners to be shared between the two families. It was an odd sensation but one that she could not describe as she lifted her glass and then felt light headed and had grown very pale. 

“Victoria are you unwell?” Barnabas watched with some concern as she stood and then collapsed on the floor.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

1845

Quentin watching her stand and then faint gracefully to the floor had stood and rushed to Barnabas' side. Both men watched her face and Barnabas gently patted her face. "Victoria, open your eyes my darling." Quentin sighed and with little effort scooped her up from the floor holding her close to his chest and looking to his cousin.

"I think dear cousin perhaps we should get your wife to bed, shall I take her to her room?" He smiled charmingly but with the appropriate amount of concern seeing how pale she had grown. He also noted that Barnabas appeared to be very distressed.

"Yes, of course, will you all accept our apologies on behalf of my wife and myself while I see to her needs. I shall return shortly and do continue with your meal." Barnabas turned to Quentin and nodded, "This way please and thank you for being so concerned and helpful cousin."

Barnabas had started towards the door when he was met by one of the servants. "Milord Collins there are new arrivals in the drawing room asking for you or Mrs. Collins. They say they are relatives that have recently arrived from London and are in fact related to you." The pretty maid dropped a curtsy to him and turned.

Daniel looked pleased and curious. "I thought your line had ended with you Barnabas and now you have relatives?" Daniel with Harriet at his side moved to look at Vicki in Quentin's arms and then to his cousin. "Harriet my dear why don't you and Quentin take Victoria to her room and Barnabas and I will go and see who these new Collins family members are that have just arrived?"

Harriet had become familiar with the house plan for the old house for many years she smiled graciously to Barnabas and then to Quentin. "I suppose she has her own rooms and shares yours for the evening when you desire company?" It had been a delicate way of asking if Vicki shared his bed all the time or as most families of status and noble wealth that she had her own room for the nights that she was not needed for her wifely duties.

"She has the large bedroom at the end of the hallway one I believe belonged originally to Josette Collins you may take her there and reassure her that as soon as I see whom these two new cousins might be that I shall join her shortly." Vicki's head rolled against Quentin's chest. Her eyes fluttered open and she felt dreadful.

Quentin smiled into her confused and troubled gaze. "I believe the best place for you my dear is in your bed. You are a dreadful color of pale right now and it appears that maybe by this fainting spell we may be expecting another Collins?" Quentin's only thought was that she would or could be pregnant at this time his thoughts were it was a pity he was not the father.

Harriet softly scolded her son. "Really Quentin I think it is up to Cousin Barnabas and Victoria to tell us if she might be in a family way. Now come along so we can get her undressed and into her comfortable bed."

Where his mind was going made Quentin smile. Perhaps it was the thought of getting her out of her clothing. Or it could be that the thought of her being in his bed made Quentin smile and made him feel mildly aroused. Turning he spoke softly to his mother. "Yes mother do lead on you know this old house better than I."

Drawing Room Old House

Daniel and Barnabas walked from the dining room apologizing one more time to those left at the dining table to see who awaited them in the drawing room. Both men approached the entrance to the drawing room to see not two but three people standing in the room. The one man that stood facing the entrance was a dapper looking man wearing a black onyx ring on his finger, which he played with as he looked the room over. With her back to them was another figure, a woman with blond curls and wearing a traveling bonnet and cloak. Another Gentleman stood with his back to them as well looking up at a portrait that hung over the fireplace, it was a portrait of Barnabas Collins from the late 1700's. Something Barnabas had found stored carefully in the attic and had hung over the fireplace. Daniel thought he recognized the man and asked softly, "Evan? What are you doing here?"

The lady turned and those piercing cold blue eyes bore into Barnabas and held him to the spot. A moment of rage filled his entire body and he wanted to lunge at her and strangle the life from her body. The name was ripped from the very bowels of his emotional being. "Angelique!" She watched him curl his fingers into a fist to control his rage at seeing her.

The man next to her turned and smiled. Barnabas saw him and again was filled with rage. The shorter man smiled and stepped forward. "Mr. Collins forgive this intrusion but you must imagine how pleased I was to see my brother had arrived with his new wife which I believe is related to the Collins family and more directly related to Mr. Barnabas Collins." Evan's effusive display of being overly charming was grating on Barnabas' nerves he wanted very much to strangle this man, drive a stake through Peter's chest and watch the life slowly leave those piercing blue eyes that held nothing but malice.

Daniel smiled unaware of the underplay of emotions and tensions between the four in his presence. "Really?" He turned to Barnabas having heard him say her name with less than a pleased tone and waited for further explanations. "I would be interested in hearing this as Mr. Barnabas Collins indicated he had no more relatives in England."

Angelique stepped forward oozing charm and batting her eyes in an innocent play of modesty. "Well that is because he thought I had run away and was perhaps dead is that not right brother?" She laughed lightly and turned to Evan and then to Peter at her side. "When in fact I had run away from the family some years ago and married the man I love." She hooked her hand around the upper arm of Peter's arm. "Isn't that right darling?"

Barnabas noticed like the one Daniel had called Evan, this man also had doffed his hat and stood holding it with both hands as Angelique held onto him "Yes, my dearest that is correct." He had spoken softly as his gaze searched the tormented look on Barnabas' face and it made his heart warm at the thought he was still miserable.

Evan sensing the growing animosity between the parties laughed, "So you can imagine my surprise when my brother Peter and my sister in law appeared on my doorstep and I learned she was a Collins."

Angelique stepped forward to place a light kiss on Barnabas' cheek. "Imagine my delight to hear my brother had migrated from England to take up residence here in Collinsport in the family's old house. I was not sure if he would be willing to forgive me for being so flighty but the heart wants what the heart wants and well here we are is that not right my love." She turned to extend her hand to Peter who stepped forward and took her hand in his lifting it to kiss it lightly.

"Yes my dear that is correct and now I have the chance to meet my brother in law and to know his family." Peter's words hit home to Barnabas knowing exactly what Peter was and what his intentions as well as Angelique had they come back to finish what they started so long ago? Barnabas had listened carefully to Peter's tone. It was heavily laced with innuendo and was there a threat or a promise in those words of wanting to get to know the family.

Josette's Bedroom

Harriet had watched Quentin gently lay Victoria on the bed and with a tenderness she had rarely seen him exude for anyone, she watched him gently caress her face, look deeply into her gaze and promise her she would be fine. Watching him leave the room, Harriett moved to Victoria and frowned. "Now then let us get you more comfortable. I know the heat of this day has been unbearable. I suspect if you are not with child my dear then you very well may be suffering from the heat and these damn corsets that someone decided we must wear to have a perfect figure."

Vicki liked this woman she knew exactly what it was that was causing her more distress and making it hard for her to breath. Sitting up weakly she allowed Harried to unbind her dress and release her from the torture device that was a corset that had been laced to tightly and had constricted her air. "I hope some day someone comes up with a better form of foundation to enhance a figure and from what I see, you hardly need this contraption to make you look any more beautiful than you already are my dear."

Vicki smiled weakly and spoke softly. "Thank you Cousin Harriet, you are being so kind and you are right had it not been for the fact that this was suppose to be a family formal dinner I would have forgone this horrible device and I know would have felt more comfortable. I do not recall there being so much heat for Maine this time of the year but it was hot and the breeze had hardly stirred through the house and I was feeling anxious I wanted my first dinner here to be perfect and now . . . " She sniffed lightly feeling the threat of tears.

"Now dry those tears my dear, you can rest assure that you have made quite the impression in Daniel and on the rest of the family and the fact that you were able to bring out some tenderness from Quentin was very much impressive and no little feat. You my dear little one have brought a breath of fresh air to the family."

Vicki offered up a halfhearted smile. "Thank you Cousin Harriett. I just feel that it was important to Barnabas that we make a good impression and I wanted to please my husband."

Harriett studied the young woman before her and found she bore an amazing close resemblance in coloring and looks to her Judith that if it were not for the fact that she was not from here she could almost have been the connection go the Collins Family. She knew the portrait over the fireplace in the drawing room of this house and had at one time wanted to fetch the portrait and hang it in the main foyer hall.

It was no doubt in her heart or her thoughts that the man downstairs was the direct descendent of the same Barnabas that had left so long ago. "Victoria, you have presented yourself very worthy to be a part of this family and you did a wonderful job of giving us a very enjoyable dinner and time this night. You are fretting over nothing. Now you rest you look pale and I can assure you in your absence we shall miss you but will continue to enjoy your hospitality."

Drawing Room of the Old House

Quentin stood outside the bedroom door and had listened to his mother and Victoria speak he was interested in her for more than a conquest to his bed he was curious about her as a person and she had evoked feelings in him he had not held for sometime. Turning he looked to the rear stairs and hearing voices in the drawing room sauntered to the front landing and the stairs standing he listened to the family reunion. Hearing Evan's voice he walked towards the stairs and down them to stand in the hallway and continue to listen.

"Well we thought it might be nice to pay a social visit since we were in the neighborhood and my wife was not sure if she would be welcomed by her brother after their last parting. I personally wished to meet my brother in law."

"I am sure we did not mean to intrude. I have not seen my brother for a very long time and when I learned of Mrs. Hanley's relationship to your family well I thought why not make your acquaintance. When we went to Collinwood we were informed that you were residing in the old house and hosting a dinner party here. Personally, I was not wising to interrupt a family gathering but as my new sister in law is a Collins thought it might be accepted for the intrusion?"

Quentin recognized Evan's voice and frowned, what the hell was he up to and what is this about a brother he had no prior knowledge of. Making his presence known he advanced to Barnabas' side and stood smiling at his old friend in the dark arts. "Evan? What is this I hear you have a brother?" He turned and let his gaze slightly look at the man that was Evan's brother and then his gaze slide seductively over Angelique and he smiled his most charming manner taking her hand and kissing it with a, "And who is this delightful creature?"

Barnabas had stood quiet holding his temper and tongue. "Well Sister it is good to know you made an acceptable match to Mr. Hanley is that what I understand your name is now?" He looked to Peter then to Angelique.

Peter stood forward extending his hand, "Yes, and it is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Collins. I can assure you I am providing well for your sister. I have a practice in Boston and have made quite the reputation for myself." Barnabas suspiciously looked at the hand and then took it and between the two men there was an emotional and mental struggle but the handshake gave no indication that either man had prior knowledge of the other and that there was obviously some hate issues between them.

"So you are a cousin too?" Quentin smiled and released Angelique's hand. He stepped back next to his father and stood with his arms folded negligently over his chest as he leaned into the supporting wall to the drawing room's entrance. Again he was given that seductively sweet and modest fluttering of her lashes as she shyly dropped her gaze.

"Cousin? Am I to believe that you are a Collins too?" She looked from Barnabas to Quentin. Barnabas cleared his throat stepped back and nodded.

"Sister may I present our cousins Quentin Collins and his father Daniel Collins. This gentlemen is my sister Angelique and her husband Peter Hanley." Barnabas now like the other two Collins males stood facing the other three with arms folded in a defensive pose before them.

Quentin chuckled. "The family keeps growing and if what I heard from your wife may be adding another member to your family." He looked from Angelique who had frowned hearing Quentin mention Barnabas' wife and watched Peter clinch and unclench is fist. There was more going on in this situation than was being said. Deciding he would make it his life's ambition for now because he was bored, he would find out what the mystery behind these new family members.

"Brother you are married? How wonderful did I know your bride?" She had clipped her words off as she spoke and there was a dangerous spark of annoyance in her gaze. That glint alerted Quentin there was more to this brother sister relationshi8p that anyone suspected and if he was a good judge of character and he had prided himself on his ability to do such a thing this was no ordinary relationship.

"No Angelique you do not know my wife. As you are aware father had arranged marriages for both of us. I unlike you met my obligation. Unfortunately, I was unable to be here for the wedding so by proxy we were married. Something father had wished and after his death I arrived and met my bride for the fist time prior to moving into this house.

This was an unexpected set of circumstance that none of the three now stood in the drawing room. Peter wondered who was his wife, this same thought was being reflected by Angelique, she had been secretly thrilled to see the look of anxiety and hate that had filtered briefly in his gaze when he saw them for the first time and thought it was because they were there to create problems for the Collins family. Instead she now learned he was married and possibly having fathered a child? How was this possible?

It would bare her looking into this a little further as she stood awkwardly before the Collins family. "So do I get the honor of meeting my sister in law?" She smiled and it had tightened and that right smile had not gone unnoticed by Quentin.

"Unfortunately at this time Mrs. Collins is indisposed and has taken to her bed." Quentin offered and turned to Barnabas. "I believe she was asking for you when I came down stairs. Perhaps you should go check on your wife while father and I escort the newest arrived members to the family to the dining room and make a place for them to join us for dinner?" Quentin had become the perfect foible between Angelique, Peter, Evan and Barnabas. His loyalties to his cousin Barnabas as still on hiatus but he had grown fond of Victoria and wanted for some reason to protect her from these vultures that had descended unannounced on the family.

Grateful for the distracting Barnabas bowed to those present and spoke softly. "Thank you , if you will excuse me I wish to see to my wife's comfort and reassure her." Turning he walked to the stairs and disappeared from sight. Quentin smiled charmingly to those present.

"Well now shall we? I believe there are other family members you need to meet. This way, oh father would you tell the servants there will three others joining us for dinner?" Quentin escorted them to the dining room while Daniel went in search of the maid to set more places at the table.

1795

Vicki followed at a discrete distance behind Jeremiah. Her thoughts were filled with fear and uncertainty when she noticed he had paused on the path and turned to peer at her. Pausing not knowing if he expected her to join him she chewed her bottom lip and watched him turn and face her. She saw the slump of his shoulders and then a heavy sigh that must have caused the motion. "You might as well join me, I have more questions."

Slowly she advanced to him and paused when she was a few feet from him. "I know we asked you to believe in the impossible but all I have told you is the truth." Her words had been laced with such open sincerity there was no doubt she believed she had told him her truth.

"The man you spoke of earlier, you loved him?" His words held a hint of regret for bringing up painful memories. He watched the tragic look of loss fill her when she nodded her assent. "Would you tell me of him?"

Vicki gave him a sad smile with a softening look taking over her features. "He and I were engaged, his name was Burke Devlin. He looked so much like you that when I first saw you I thought you were Burke come back to me. In my time we have a mode of transportation that allows you to use it to fly, it can travel at high rates of speed and take you all over the world. We call it an airplane. Burke was on an airplane that crashed in the Amazon. They found what they believed was his body at the crash sight." She bit back the emotion of those feelings.

He saw the tragic look she held as she spoke of this man she had believed him to be and he was moved to extend a hand of comfort to caress the tears from her face. Vicki had not realized she had begun to cry but there it was with a flick of her lashes her tears were running down her face. "We were to be married and the owner of Collinwood had even offered us the west wing to reside in so I could be close to David." She had curled her cheek into his tender touch and for a moment she wanted him to be Burke to feel those feelings she had held for Burke.

Cupping her cheeks with both hands their eyes locked together and Jeremiah felt his lips moving to her lips capturing them in a passionate kiss. Both closed their eyes as Vicki threaded her arms around his neck pressing into his body to feel that lost feeling once again to find some modicum of comfort from someone from this time. Jeremiah broke the kiss and turned from her wiping his fingertips over his lips. "Victoria. I am so sorry for this. We cannot have these feelings for one another. I am married to Josette. She is my wife."

Vicki too had turned her back on him dropping her chin and pressing her fingertips to her lips holding to the taste of that kiss and the feel of his lips to hers. "I am sorry Jeremiah, I know you are not Burke and wanting you to be him will not make it so. You are right, you belong to Josette and she is your wife and I love your wife, I do not wish to create any anguish for her as it stands she will end up with a tragic end ot her life." She was in tears and had spoken what she new to be a truth.

Jeremiah hearing this turned and looked at her back her head bent and her shoulders slumped. "What do you mean that she has a tragic end to her life. You know how we all die do you not?" He was curious and knew it was wrong to ask, no one should know how they end or when they end.

Vicki nodded, "I know it all and it breaks my heart knowing that people that were just words that I had read and were written about from so long ago, have become important to me and I have grown to love knowing how and when you all are going to die. That alone is tearing me apart."

Jeremiah reached for her arm turned her to look into the grief stricken gaze of a woman he was growing to have a forbidden love. "Victoria I will keep your secret, no one will know what you have told me tonight. I promise I shall protect you from the bailiff and from Trask." He cupped her face in his hands and she closed her eyes rubbing her cheek against the feel of his hands.

"You have to help protect Quentin too. He is a part of my future and your future too. Know what I know I cannot tell you for to do so would put us all at risk and could affect the future. Just know Jeremiah you lived a full life and your legacy lives on. Everyone at Collinwood revere the name Jeremiah Collins even in my day." She smiled a sad smile as her gaze held his gaze.

Tipping her chin up he bent his head one more time and kissed her deeply holding onto her for what seemed a lifetime. "We must never be alone again Victoria I cannot trust myself when I am around you. There is a part of me that wishes to hold onto you and keep you safe and at my side and another part that is screaming at me to run as far and fast from you as I can. I know this is wrong but how can it be when it feels so right."

Vicki whispered softly against his lips, "It is wrong and I will promise you that I shall not allow it to go any further than these stolen kisses." She closed her eyes and held to him and the whole time their encounter was being watched by vengeful wicked eyes that were intent of creating trouble. Abigail Collins slipped away from the tryst with one destination in mind. She would tell Trask what she saw in the woods this night and she would see this brazen hussy would be punished.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

1845

Entering Josette's room, Barnabas paused to peer at the sleeping form of the woman that had captured his heart. She lay serenely sleeping with her hair splayed around her head. He could see the slow easy fall of her breath as she slept. Moving to her bedside he was approached by Harriett. "Barnabas she just fell asleep. I think she needs rest dear. That corset was bound way too tight and was cutting off her air. Poor thing, she just needs to toss those into the trash and never put them on."

Barnabas was glad to hear it was something that was as simple as a piece of clothing and not the fact he thought she might be carrying another man's child. He did not know how he would have reacted had she come to him and back to this time pregnant. Moving to the edge of the bed he bent over to study the paleness of her complexion and knew he was partly responsible for that. Condition.

"Thank you so much cousin Harriett. We are both grateful you were here to help her through this moment of discomfort." Harriet tip toed up and placed a light kiss on his forehead.

"I will join the others down stairs when you are ready you might wish to join us again?" She offered it only as a suggestion. Barnabas sighed deeply and nodded slowly.

"I will be down shortly, I just want to watch her a little longer." Harriett stepped from the room leaving them alone. Barnabas walked to the other side of the bed and sat on its edge, slowly to not disturb her he moved to curl his body into hers. Gently laying his arm over her he held her close. He smelled the soft scent of lilacs in her hair and on her body. The gown she wore was the softest shade of blue. The satin strap fell off her shoulder onto her upper arm.

Barnabas kissed her shoulder and her neck resting his chin on her shoulder he took a moment to feel all she was. Warm, soft, with delightful curves that danced in his imagination. Remembering a moment from the past when he walked in on her naked having just divested her wet clothing to lay over the chair and dry. He had taken a while to get that image out of his mind and it was odd it was something he was just recalling as he held her.

She spoke softly her voice sleep filled. "Barnabas?" She curled over and into his hold burying her head in his chest. The scent of her was even closer than it had been. He could feel the fall of silk like hair brushed against his face, the warmth of her body as she snuggled close to his body.

It was a simple act of acceptance that held Barnabas still he spoke softly into her ear. "Yes my dear. You should rest. Harriett said it was your garment that caused you distress and now has exhausted you." He gently laid a kiss on her forehead and held her in both arms.

"I am fine. It was hard to breathe and I felt something was about to change and it was not going to be good." She sighed and rubbed her head against his chest. The action caused his brocade jacket to feel ruff against her cheek. Her words were muffled and sounded softer with her face buried in his chest.

"We have guests my dear. Apparently, Peter Bradford is now using the name of Peter Hanley and his wife is saying she is my sister, Angelique." He had said the two names with a degree of disgust.

This announcement caused Victoria to push against his chest and peer up into his gaze her own filled with a hint of anxiety and fear. "Peter Bradford is here? Angelique is with him?" She felt her world tilt again and her stomach knot.

He nodded slowly, "I fear my dear yes we are to be plauged with them. I want you to avoid Peter at all costs. He will not be happy unless he tries to seduce you or worse make you what we are and I will not allow that."

Vicki sighed deeply, "You have nothing to fear where Peter is concerned. " She was now put out with the fact that she would have to face both of them having seen them before in her time and having not been happy with that association she knew she would need to curb her instincts to run screaming from the room at seeing her and as for him a part of her wanted to drive a stake into his black hear. Looking deeply into his gaze she smiled. "I am tied to you now and forever Barnabas." She spoke and he was immediately touched by her confession.

"As I am to you now my dearest Victoria. Now, we have guests unattended and I fear of leaving a bad impression on them so I want you to rest. When I return later we will discuss this new situation with the newest members of our family." He kissed her and slid from the bed making her feel bereft of his body.

"Barnabas be very careful around them. They are dangerous and they mean this family no good of that I am very sure." He smiled and shook his head. He was so grateful and amazed that he now had someone that understood him and the plight he faced with this new life transition. Leaning over to lay a light kiss on her lips he smiled.

"I am going to be even more watchful and alert now that I have you to as a part of my life." He stepped back turned and walked to the door pausing for only a minute to watch her layback down and close her eyes. He could not believe his good fortune to have her as a part of his life.

1795

Trask locked his hands behind his back and studied the plain spinster in front of him. The tale she had just spoke had given him hope that he would now have what leverage he needed to bring the witch Victoria Winters to her knees begging him to not hang or burn her at the stake. He slapped his hands together causing Abigail to jump. "I thought you should know she was meeting my brother in the woods and having an illicit affair with him. She is a vixen and a witch. I am sure of it!"

Trask moved to her side bent down and took her hands in his and smiled. "I am so glad you have reported this to me Abigail. You must tell me of anything else you find. The fact she met your brother is a matter for the civil courts she and your brother having an affair is not enough to bring it before the judges to get a writ." He smiled and noted she blushed so prettily for him. He knew he was affecting her with his close proximity and if he played this right he could have a stake in the Collins family and have his bit of fluff on the side. "Now off with you and be care to let no other know you were here."

Guiding her up from the chair he escorted her with an arm around her shoulders to the door. Opening the door he bent and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. "Now to take great care my dear these are dangerous time." He watched her raise her hood to her cloak and smiled nodding to Trask.

"As we all know it is a very dangerous time when we have a witch that sleeps amongst us."

"Keep your Bible at hand dear lady and nothing shall harm you as long as you keep your faith that God will prevail and vanquish evil from your house and the hearts of those with whom you have surrounded yourself." He watched her walk into the encompassing shadows and disappeared from sight. Closing the door he leaned against it and smiled. "This is so perfect so terribly perfect, tomorrow I take Miss Wycke and make her mine. She shall be the catalyst that will bring me what I want what I desire."

Collinwood 1795

Joshua opened the door to the master's suite and looked in at his wife sleeping soundly in her bed. He studied her from the doorway and felt tonight she should rest and he would spend his evening in one of the other bedrooms. His mind was in turmoil over everything he had learned tonight and what he had discovered he was astounded that it was possible for someone to travel through time. He was staggered by this knowledge.

Now there was the new complication in his life. Miss Winters. There was something about her that attracted him something more than what he had seen in Josette. He never wanted to marry Josette. That had been Jeremiah's manipulations. He suspected but did not know if Barnabas was having an affair with Barnabas. Sitting down at his desk he leaned forward supporting his face with his hands elbows bent. Covering his eyes with his hands he sighed. Closing his eyes thinking he could get the thought of her face, her lips, the way she felt when he held her in his arms. The tenderness of her voice was still haunting his ears.

What made this whole situation worse was he knew now she belonged to another and another time. Why had this bewitchment befallen his good sense? Could it be she was a witch? No that was ridiculous; there were no such a thing as a witch. Groaning he shoved back in his chair he sighed deeply looked at the ceiling. This had to stop he was married to Josette and that was that. Standing he resolved to make his marriage work and he would not allow another's influence his obligation to his family and his wife.

Walking out the door down the hallway he stepped into their bedroom. He stood and watched his wife sleep and was immediately reminded how lucky he was to have such a wonderful wife. On silent footfalls he made his way to the bedside sat gently on his side of his marriage bed and began to disrobe. "Jeremiah?" Her voice was sleep filled and concerned.

"Yes, Josette?" He spoke over his shoulder while he tugged his boots off. Laying them under the bed, he stood and slipped his beaches off his frock shirt falling below his hips to his thighs. Laying his breeches over the chair's back he turned and slipped his jacket and cravat off. Moving to find his nightshirt he slipped his shirt off and the whole time her eyes followed him as he moved about the room.

"Why are you coming to bed so late?" She sat up dropped the covers from her body looking anxiously at him as he dressed for bed. He studied the beautiful woman looking so delectable in her ruffled nightgown her hair tumbling down over her shoulders. She smiled and patted the bed next to her. "Come it is late and we have a very busy day tomorrow."

Jeremiah slid into bed next to her kissed her lightly on her lips and rolled over curling his hand to his feather tick filled pillow. Josette giggled and spooned into his body sliding her arm around his waist. "Jeremiah, make love to me my love." Her words sounded sincere and it appeared she was trying to make their marriage work.

Jeremiah felt her hands guide over his body and he was aroused. He turned pulling her close planting feather like kisses over her neck and shoulder noting the goose bumps that were growing from her own now burgeoning need to feel her husband's love. Jeremiah closed his eyes and began to make love to her. In his mind he could see another in his arms. She was as pliable and loving and more tender than the one in his arms. She had hair of raven's wings and the tumultuous eyes of a storm tossed sea. Her lips were tender and his words were intent for another.

Try as he could when he finally reached his climax he whispered her name on his lips. "Oh my god Victoria!" He buried his nose into her shoulders and shuddered.

Josette tensed at the moment of her release and gasped out his name, "Jeremiah!" Her words over shadowed his words but a part of her mind had heard a different name on his lips. He collapsed on top of her frail form then rolled from her side to lay facing up. He could not believe he was thinking of Victoria while he made love to his wife. It was wrong and he was wrought with guilt. Josette pushed up smiled leaned over and placed a playful kiss on his lip. "Merci beaucoup Mon amour." She

Sighed and stood from the bed. "I will return soon my sweet husband." She slipped out of the room and headed to the bathing chambers. Once there she began to clean herself speaking softly to herself. "I cannot believe he called me by another woman's name! What was the name it surely could not have been Victoria Winter's names that had laid upon her husband's lips while he made love to her? She would not jump to conclusions, why did she have the right to be angry with him when she was always running off to be with Barnabas?

Leaning against the door she began to cry, why did it have to be Jeremiah as her husband? Why could it not have been Barnabas? She loved Barnabas and had to pretend to love Jeremiah. It was not in her nature to be this way and it was tearing her apart. As sensitive as Barnabas was to her needs and feelings she could sense he knew how unhappy she was. He had been growing more insistent that they run off together. How could she bring shame to his family and her family and do this.

Then her mind began to wonder if it was true was he growing closer to Victoria? If he wanted to get rid of her then it would not be on her as it was on him. What was it Aunt Natalie had told her while she was growing up? Oh yes, it was that a woman should expect a man that is involved in an arranged marriage to have a roving eye. How did she put it? Her mind wandered back to the time she as with her Aunt and she suspected her husband, the twin to Josette's father had taken a mistress. She had said that a man is expected to have a wandering eye and a taste for more than one woman.

Natalie had been involved in an arranged marriage. She personally had never seen her father give up on her beloved mother's memory or image by trying to bring another woman other than her Aunt Natalie into their home or try to have Josette call another woman mother. Josette finished cleaning up and sighed looking at her image. She did not love Jeremiah but was told she could grow to care for him. It was her family duty to make this match.

She had much preferred to have Barnabas as her husband; it was he that held her heart. Her aunt had hinted at discretion was the better part of valor and if she found she was attracted to another to be careful to give her husband an heir and not expect him to raise another's bastard. She always thought of Barnabas when she was with Jeremiah in that way. It made it easier to suffer through his touching her in a way that she felt should only belong to Barnabas.

Thinking back to earlier she made her way down the hallway and paused in the doorway looking at the sleeping form of her husband. Stepping to her bed she slipped in next to him and laid there thinking about earlier had he called out Victoria's name in their love making? Had he already taken her as a lover? Was that why he was late this night to their marriage bed? This was something she would have to discuss with Barnabas. She knew she was young enough she could out live her husband. However; she knew her lover was not willing to wait that long.

Trying to fall asleep she sighed deeply and in her moment of going into sleep she spoke his name softly, "Barnabas." It was her mistake. Jeremiah had pretended to be asleep and hearing his nephew's name upon the lips of his wife had been an awakening. If he could prove her infidelity then he could safely divorce her without besmirching the family name. That would leave his heart and the door open for him to pursue and claim Victoria as his wife.

Rolling to his back he studied the ceiling through the soft material of the canopy. He listened to her steady slow breathing as she slept and dreamed of he was sure his nephew. Tomorrow he would make her believe he was going into the shipping yards and then he would wait and follow her. He was sure he would find that his wife was meeting his nephew. A part of him felt guilty because he held tender feelings for another so why should he care about what was happening between his wife and nephew? He supposed it was the thought that if he did not confirmed his suspicions he would always suspect that any issue they shared was more than likely that of Barnabas.

He would be damned if he raised Barnabas bastard so he had to know. Folding his arms over his chest he closed his eyes and once again he saw her standing on widows hill looking lost and forlorn and so beautiful with her long raven colored hair and eyes that were like the storm tossed seas. Lips so delicate and kissable. He had to quit these thoughts they were affecting him in a manner that was less than gentlemanly. Giving over to exhaustion he knew he would rise by the cock's crow and prepare to put to rest his thoughts of whether or not Barnabas and Josette were lovers.

1968

Elliott Stokes' House

Julia paced to the couch and sat down next to Eric who had already seated himself after shaking Elliott's hand. Barnabas stood watching the fire by the small fireplace. His mood had grown somber since finding that diary of Quentin's. All three waited for Elliott to read through the important parts of the diary. Barnabas noted Hallie's retreat up the small stairway to her room upstairs.

The earlier conversation had centered around how she was doing in school and what subject she had hoped to pursue in college. It had been small chitchat designed to be pleasant and to open the door for the more serious information they were going to direct to Elliott's attention. Hallie had learned at an early age that such discussions were meant for adult ears and minds. She did not need a house to fall on her to know she was not needed in the room. Excusing herself she walked up stairs to her room and looked out her window.

It stood like a great hulking beast and was somewhat frightening in its current state. The power had long been shut off and after the police and forensic police had completed their investigation the yellow do not cross police line tape had been taken down. The creepy guy that had lived there was gone and Hallie was glad. She had watched him from the peripheral of her vision when he sat on the porch and knew he was watching her.

Turning from the shadowed shrouded house she turned her attention back to her books. Growing distant with her thoughts she was happy she had her Uncle Elliott as her back up or surrogate father. She had just wished Uncle Elliott had found a woman and then she could have woman to talk to about life and her questions she had. She had considered Julia but she was wrapped up in her new life with Dr. Lang. There was the fact that Julia was also pregnant, then of course there was Beth but she was spending so much time with Willie and she knew Willie was going to be released at the end of the week. So Beth would be too busy with him.

Vicki had been her second choice but it seems that Vicki was missing. Having been plagued by a lot of different questions of things happening in her life, she needed to talk to a woman now, not when they could find Vicki and bring her home. Sighing she stared down at the book in front of her and saw the name Elizabethtown. She smiled; of course she could always talk to Mrs. Stoddard she had raised a daughter, so she would understand her questions. Shaking her head she looked to her book and began to study for her SAT's.

Collinwood

1968

Carolyn shifted uncomfortably in her bed, she needed to get up, Gregory was coming over and she did not want to be in bed to share her time with him. She was trying to decide when they would set their date for their wedding. It was a soft knock at the door first then a familiar face popped their face around the door's facing. "Hey, how are you feeling?" Maggie moved into the room to see how Carolyn was faring.

Carolyn smiled as she shifted, "I feel like a beached whale and want Green Peace to come and push me back into the ocean." She chuckled lightly over her little joke.

"Well are you up for a visit from another old friend?" She turned to see Joe standing in the doorway smiling at the two women.

"Why sure, the more the merrier is what I say come on in Joe and tell me how things are going down at the cannery, since I have been delegated to be bed bound I might as well enjoy some gossip." She wiggled back in her chair, pulling the leg comforter over her legs covering the frilly pink gown she wore and hiding the swell of her belly.

Maggie and Joe found chairs to pull close to Carolyn and sat down. Joe reached for Maggie's hand and for a brief moment Carolyn felt a slight tinge of jealousy, pushing it aside she put a bright smile on her lips. "So, what is going on with the two of you? You seem to be growing closer?"

Maggie smiled and lowering her lashes to hide a hint of a blush to her cheeks she slid a sideways glance to Joe and then held her hand out so Carolyn could see the ring on her finger. "We are engaged." She looked anxiously from Carolyn to Joe's bent head.

Carolyn did not hesitate to squeal out in delight and happiness for them. "Congratulations you two! This is wonderful news? So, you are engaged and this ring is lovely." Carolyn had sat forward and took Maggie's hand in hers to look at the lovely modest engagement ring. "So have you talked about dates?" She glanced up looking from one to the other.

"Well we just got engaged today and so we really have not discussed dates, we just wanted to make sure it would not make you uncomfortable with this news and knowing that I am going to marry Joe." Maggie was quick to offer a halfhearted apology for springing their news on her.

Joe looked up and smiled. "We wanted to be sensitive to your feelings Carolyn, we knew that our dating had upset you when we first started to date so we wanted to make sure that you were okay with our engagement."

Carolyn laughed and stood hugging Maggie and then Joe. "Not likely I would be upset, I am thrilled for you both. I am at this time pregnant with another man's baby so why would I be upset?"

"Which reminds me my darling, we need to set our date. Hello Joe, Hello Maggie pleasure to see you here." Gregory Trask walked into the room and stood next to Carolyn dropping a chaste kiss on her lips. Sliding a possessive arm around her shoulders he squeezed her next to his body and smiled at the newly engaged couple.

Carolyn felt the uncomfortable squeeze, glancing up to Gregory she clenched her teeth and spoke through them. "We won't set a date if you keep trying to pop me like a pimple." Carolyn tugged away from him and sat in her chair. Gregory did have the grace to show his embarrassment.

"Sorry my dear did not realize how tightly I was holding you." He slid onto the arm of the chair next to her and gently took her fingers in his hand and kissed each one. "I really need to be remember you are carrying my son."

"Or daughter." Carolyn said as a counter to his statement. "Anyhow I suppose once we find what happened to Vicki then we can set the date."

"Vicki? What happened to Vicki?" Gregory was confused. "Something happened to Vicki?"

Carolyn nodded, "Yes, some maniac came in and drug her off and she and Quentin with that maniac and they have not been seen since."

Gregory stood, turned and stared out the window. This was something new and unexpected. His mind spiraled down a long list of things that could hold up his marriage but this was not one of them.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 15

1795  
Eagle Hill Cemetery

Silence that is what Vicki heard from behind the stone enclosure. Nothing could be heard since she heard the yelp, the scream as the door closed completely on her. Bending she opened the door and slid the flat stone step back to cover the mechanism that operated the secret panel. With extreme caution she advanced slowly from her hiding spot to the exterior of the mausoleum. “Jeremiah?” She called softly then the sound she heard held her frozen to the spot. It had started as a low growl.

Turning she looked around the darkened room then saw the feral red eyes watching her every move. Gasping softly she backed up to the open doorway to the secret room. With one mighty shove from his standing position the man wolf lunged towards Vicki landing inside the secret room blocking her retreat. Thinking quickly she reached for the lever and watched the door begin to close slowly on the wild animal of a breed or kind she had never beheld before. 

In that feral unreasoning mind of the man wolf he realized that the door was closing on him and trapping him inside. He lunged forward in an attempt to escape but too late. Once the heavy door had closed Vicki could no longer hear the wolf’s bay, growl or grunts it was silent once again except for a soft moan outside the mausoleum. “Jeremiah!” She whispered his voice softly then rushed out of the iron door to look around the fog shrouded grounds of the cemetery. 

“Jeremiah?” She called to him with fear filling every fiber of her being. “Jeremiah?” She stepped with caution forward and felt her foot make contact with something soft and it moaned again. Looking down she found him crumpled on the ground bleeding and near unconsciousness. “Oh my God! Jeremiah!” She stooped down to run fingertips to his throat and found him bleeding from an open neck wound. Attempting to drag him up to support him, She got him up enough that he was able to stand and lean into her body.

“Come we have to get help!” Using her body as leverage he held onto her frail form and then fell. Following him down to the ground she began to cry softly and plead. “Please Jeremiah, you must get up. I need light to help you.” A figure moved through the fog carrying a lantern. Vicki felt her heart skip a beat when a familiar voice called out.

“Hello is anyone there?” Ben Stokes shambled towards the fallen figure. “Miss Victoria? What ‘ere aye doin out in this pea soup tonight?” 

“Ben, help me its Mr. Jeremiah he has been attacked.” Vicki held onto Jeremiah while Ben walked forward and stopped in shock.

“How did he get hurt?” Ben dropped to his knees and looked at the damage done to Jeremiah’s throat. It appeared he had been sliced across the throat and was bleeding badly. 

Vicki became more insistent. “We must get him home now Ben. Please help me.” Ben shook his head and then handing the lantern to Vicki lifted Jeremiah up. Together they trudged back to the pathway that would lead to the great house. With the sight of Collinwood in front of them Vicki turned to Ben, “Should I run ahead and alert the family?”

Ben shifted his burden and nodded, “Aye, and have ‘em send fer the doctor real quick like!” Vicki holding the lantern forward so she could see the ground dashed to the front door and threw it opened. Entering the foyer she screamed. “HELP! SOMEONE HELP! MR. JEREMIAH HAS BEEN MORTALLY WOUNDED!” The house hold went from sleeping and silent to a bustle of activity with all forms of persons appearing in night shirts, gowns and night hats. The first to arrive down the stairs was Josette, followed by Joshua, Naomi and a bevy of servants that immediately took Jeremiah from Ben.

Joshua glared at Ben then to Victoria. “What is the meaning of this? How did you find him? What happened? Who is responsible for this?” The torrential down pouring of all these questions was upsetting Josette and Vicki more. Naomi reached a hand to Joshua. “Joshua go change and fetch the doctor we will get our answers later. Our first priority is to the welfare of Jeremiah. Now hurry!” 

Josette had clung to Jeremiah’s blood soaked form, crying over him in near hysteria. “Jeremiah who did this to you?” His head in her lap he looked up and he saw not Josette bent over his broken bleeding form but that of Victoria’s face swimming in and out of his lucidity. Reaching up he cupped the side of her face with his palm. “You . . . are . . . so . . . beautiful . . . my. . .” His voice was ragged with the injury and his emotion was affecting his speech as he looked into the eyes of whom he had perceived was Victoria. Continuing to struggle with getting his words said before death claimed him, he knew it was important that he tell her of his love for her. “You . .. you. . . . are . . . my . . . one . . . true. . . love.”

A death rattled filled his throat along with the blood of his torn throat. His voice had gone to a bare whisper. “Know . . . I . . . will . . always . . . love . . . you. . . ” His words were fading and he wanted to tell her it was right for Josette and Barnabas to be together. 

“Jeremiah who did this!” Josette was feeling guilty over his profession of love for her. “Please tell me!” His vision cleared and he smiled looking into Josette’s gaze he did forgive her he had found his love. He said softly, “Josette. . . “ 

Again tears of anguish and guilt filled Josette. “Tell me who did this!” He whispered one name softly.

“Barnabas.” 

With his dying breath he thought he had told Josette to be happy with Barnabas instead as he died he left the impression that Barnabas was the one that had struck the death blow to his body. With the utterance of Barnabas’ name Josette cried out in guilty anguish laying her body over her dead husband’s body. Vicki having been distracted and relegated to the drawing room as the family members drew around the dying Jeremiah had not heard him proclaim Barnabas as his murderer. If anything she just knew that something horrible must have happened with the scream and now deep pain filled sobs of someone lost in their grief

1845

Vicki dressed in the soft powder blue gown, smoothed her hair down, reached for her parasol and wished it were proper for women to dress in breeches. Moving to grab a bonnet she sighed softly and stepped from Josette’s room. Walking on soft soled shoes down the hallway she looked up to see Julianka. The pretty gypsy girl walked towards Victoria. “Madam is going out?”

Vicki smiled, “Yes, Henrietta has asked me to tea at Collinwood with her, Daphne, Joanna, Amanda, and Judith. I should be back before Mr. Collins is available. Just in case I am detained longer would you kindly tell him that I am at Collinwood?” She thought the young lady was very attractive and could see why Gregor was interested in her.

Julianka knew that Victoria had promised to keep their secret until they were ready to tell the family of their feelings for one another so she was sure she was the friend she longed to have and found it ironic that it was a gorger that would show her loyalty for one of the tribe. Julianka moved her hand forward to touch Victoria’s arm and for a moment her eyes glazed over. Vicki had looked down and saw a beautifully cut blue sapphire ring on the young woman’s slender delicate hand. 

The touch for Julianka was electric she felt something charge through her system and for a moment her eyes cleared and she saw Victoria as a child lost and alone in a foundling home. Julianka could read her thoughts and they were sad and lonely thoughts filled with a longing and desire to discover the identity of her parents. Superimposed over Victoria’s face were two other faces that of a balding man and another of a woman that bore a striking resemblance to that of Judith Collins and another man whom she felt a strong connection to. He somewhat resembled her father’s brother with his barrel chest and balding head.

Vicki watched her grow distant in thought and then she shook her head smiled and looked at Vicki. Impulsively she leaned forward and hugged her and somehow with that hug she felt family somewhere connected them in the future. Cupping Vicki’s face she spoke softly, “You travel the waves of time and you do not belong here but to me you belong to my heart. You take great care My Lady Victoria.” She leaned forward and kissed her forehead stepped back and walked down the hallway towards the room Vicki knew belonged to Magda and Sandor. 

Smiling at the tender touch and the kind words, Victoria walked to the stairs carrying her bonnet and her parasol. Pausing she watched the door opened and held her breath she had hoped it was not the odious Trask that had accosted her earlier in the woods. Instead it was Quentin walking through the door to stand and peer at the lovely woman standing poised on the steps. His clothing was somewhat disheveled and he did appear to have allowed his clothing to partially dry from his fall into the ocean’s waves. 

“My, my, my how you changed my dear and now I find you on your way out. Perhaps I shall escort you to Collinwood so you do not run into the rude and obviously delusional Headmaster Trask.” He noticed at the mention of Trask she had shivered slightly. 

“You have a problem with the man do you not?” He waited for her to advance down the stairs and assisted her off the last step. “I have to honestly say there are few that do not have issues with the man he is a charlatan and a rake.” Quentin found it ironic that he just called someone else the same names that had been used to describe him.

“I wanted to thank you for your help Mr. Collins he was a very rude and horrible man that obviously is a tad delusional and filled with his own self importance. I fear had you not come along I would surely have been molested by the man or worse he may have taken liberties with me that no one but a lady’s husband should take.” Taking his hand she allowed him to assist her off the bottom step. “ I would appreciate safe escort through the pathway in the woods to Collinwood. I do have a tea engagement with your mother in an half an hour.”

His eyes twinkled with mischief thinking of how he could try and steal a kiss from her on the way to Collinwood. However another part of him was not about to have her associate his actions with those of Trask’s. He would this time be on his best behavior and try to get to know this lovely morsel a little better before he made her an object for conquest. A part of him did not wish to harm her or her husband but another part of him wanted very much to insinuate his influence into her life. She was a complex and very attractive young woman that deserved and would desire his further attention. 

Offering her his damp arm, stepping with him to the front door she paused, to open her parasol. Smiling with eyes shining and a feeling of excitement in her she slid her hand to his bent elbow and allowed him to escort her down the steps and to the woods. Unaware that they were being watched, the two chatted about mundane topics such as the weather and how pleasant it was for this early into the spring season.

Lamar Trask watched them until they were out of sight. Turning he put his gaze back to the house and saw the door open. Magda and Julianka stepped out to the front landing and this caught Lamar’s attention. The young gypsy woman was lovely she was what he found to be attractive in a mysterious sort of a way. The older woman he had recognized as being around the town a lot with another older man. This one he knew would bare watching a little further. 

1845  
Collinwood Drawing Room  
Vicki sat primly by the fireplace accepting a cup of tea in cups she had recognized as those belonging to the Collins Family from her time. For a moment were it not for the face of the woman handing her the teacup and the mode of dress and the fact that the room was lit by gas lights she would have felt she had returned to her time in the home she had become accustomed as being her home. Smiling her acceptance she took a light sip noting that Quentin had changed and was now joining them in the drawing room. For him he refused tea and made a beeline for the liquor cabinet.

She sipped delicately from the cup then set the cup to the table next to her. “So, Victoria from where do you come originally that you were a proxy bride for cousin Barnabas?” Amanda was the first to ask this question after she had taken a sip from her cup. She thought she senses a bit of a hesitation in Victoria’s manner when she had asked her question. 

Vicki looked down, speaking softly she said, “I was born in New York on the Southside near Williamsburg. My father was a modest tradesman and he located our family near the East River. I was educated in England and spent most of my early years in London. When I turned eighteen my father brought me home and sent me to a finishing school. It was his desire to make a good match for me and apparently he met Mr. Collins on one of his business trips to the West Indies. Mr. Collins had seen my miniature father carried of my mother and myself in his watch and Mr. Collins indicated he was interested in possibly joining the two families.” 

Quentin listened with a sardonic look on his face as she spoke of her arranged marriage. He sipped his drink and snorted softly from the corner, which elicited a dark look from his mother. Quentin raised his left eyebrow then lowered his gaze and continued to listen to the life of Mrs. Victoria Collins. 

Harriett sighed deeply returned a polite smile to Victoria and nodded. “Something we pride ourselves on as Collins are to make sure our children are well situated and settled nicely to a good family of breeding and wealth. Please Victoria do go on.”

Joanna smiled widely, “Oh yes do go on this sounds so romantic. Surely the thought of marrying a stranger must have given you pause and fear of not knowing if you would even like the man in question.” 

Daphne patted Joanna’s hand. “Sister, when you are bonded by a an arrangement you learn to love one another completely and accept. For you it was easy, you had already met Edward but Victoria had no idea if she were getting a pig in a poke or a diamond in the rough.”

From the doorway a dry comment was heard. “Or if she were signing her life away in a loveless marriage for the rest of her natural life.” Edith pushed Gabriel into the room next to the sofa and sat next to him. Harriet frowned noting that the sour faced and very acerbic Edith had decided to join their ranks in the room. 

Harriet snorted softly, “Edith, you are being rather rude to suggest that a Collins would only offer wealth and not love to his bride.” Edit glared from Victoria back to Harriett. 

“I am speaking from my own family’s experience with my youngest sister Emily, she is the one that ended up dying in child birth having been tied to some old man for years with nothing but his cold hands to touch her and no love to offer.” 

Victoria sighed deeply feeling sorrow and pity for her sister. “I am sad to hear this about your Sister cousin Edith, perhaps in her case that was a misfortune for me I have been fortunate enough to found love with my arranged marriage.”

Edith looked at Victoria and spoke with a dry tone. “How lovely for you Cousnin Victoria and fortunate that you will find heat in your bed at night and not coldness and neglect.” 

Quentin could not resister, “Is that your personal observations because of your own circumstances dear sister in law?” He looked from Gabriel to Edith then back to the flush filled face of Victoria and by the way she acted he could have sworn she was acting like a virginal bride having never felt the touch of a man or now the love of that man. His intent had been to insulate Victoria against the jaded and hard point of view that Edith had delighted to wallow in when she was with Gabriel. Clearing her throat Victoria spoke softly but dedicated to the love of the man she had claimed as her husband.

“I think such topics of conversation were not meant for mixed company Cousin Edith, perhaps it is best we just drop the subject all together and perhaps we could take a nice stroll in the garden?”

Joanna appeared disappointed. “Oh I so wanted to hear more of you and Barnabas and how you felt when you first met him. Surely you were scared to death at the thought of sharing your life with a man that was no more than a stranger to you?”

Victoria smiled her indulgence to Joanna. “I can assure you that we learned a great deal about each other Joanna. My father made the arrangements with Barnabas we began to correspond and we got to know each other very well in those letters.” Quentin watched that delightful flush spread to her cheekbones and he was enchanted with how lovely and still innocent she appeared to him. 

“I would love to read those letters sometime if they can cause you to blush so beautifully cousin Victoria. Perhaps some day you might share a little bit of those missives with us?” Quentin could not resist his own attempt to see her blush again. He was not disappointed. She tucked her chin and flushed.

“They are far too personal to share Mr. Collins perhaps some day I shall read you some of the lovely poetry that Barnabas wrote for me. That is the one part of those letters I would gladly share, I felt that he had missed his calling and should have been an author instead of a shipping magnate.”

Quentin lifted his glass and looked at the last swallow, “By all means why would he want to suffer and starve by being an author hoping for a sale of his work when he could be a wealthy and probably brilliant shipping magnate.” The sarcasm was dripping from his voice.

“Do I detect a hint of jealousy in your voice Quentin, are you disappointed that you were not the one that Victoria’s father had met and hoped to bond you to her?” Gabriel had noticed his brother was showing more than just a casual interest in his cousin’s wife. Gabriel glanced to Edith and saw her face suffuse with anger at the suggestion that Quentin had designs on Victoria. Jumping up from the couch Edith stormed from the room causing Quentin to chuckle at her jealousy.

“Interesting that your wife would care who would be interested in our newest cousin Gabriel could it be its her bed she complains is cold and not that of her dear deceased sister?” 

Gabriel glared at Quentin whipped his wheelchair around and rolled with no further comment from the room. Which once again sent Quentin into a deeply humor filled chuckle. “Sensitive are we not brother?” He called to his departing back. 

1795

Pushing forward she heard Joshua say that Mr. Jeremiah should be taken to his room so he could be prepared for burial and for Victoria the thought of him lying dead was too much for her to bear. Rushing from the room, she moved to the kitchen and servants area to the rear garden and away from the house. Walking quickly a few yards to the pathway she did not realize she was making a mad dash to the pathway that would lead her to the old house. Eyes blinded by her tears sobbing with each gulp of air she took she moved to the front stairs of the old house collapsing on the top steps to bend over and gasp out her grief over the loss of Jeremiah. 

Hearing a wagon draw up in front of the old house she saw Peter Bradford and Barnabas covered in muddied dirt jump from the wagon and approach the distraught woman now crying into her hands. “Miss Winters why whatever has happened?” Barnabas approached her followed by Peter. He did not wish to see such a lovely delicate being such as Victoria is so much emotional pain. 

Vicki sobbing through her fingers gasped out, “Jeremiah has died! He was attacked by a wolf in the cemetery and he died, he is dead!” She looked up her eyes filled with tears “He is dead!” She clung ot his arms feeling him draw her into his chest. 

Peter was struck by the news. Advancing to Barnabas’ side he spoke softly, “Shall I go to Collinwood and see what this is all about?” Barnabas had pulled Victoria up holding onto her with his comforting arms. “Yes, by all means and you might have someone come to the old house to see to her needs there is no way she should try to go back to Collinwood in this condition. She is hysterical.” 

Peter turned in time to see a very dour faced Ben Stokes moving to the three of them. Peter looked concerned at the notably sadness that shadowed Ben’s features. “Ben?” He asked the question and Ben nodded.

“Dis she tell aye Mr. Jeremiah is dead?” Barnabas held to the trembling Victoria. Ben looked towards the young woman with pity in his gaze. “He died and it looked like his throat had damn near been torn out. Just afore he died he said Mr. Barnabas kilt him. Then he died. Mr. Joshua wants you Mr. Barnabas to come to Collinwood, he wants to talk to you about the death of your Uncle.” 

Barnabas blanched, “I could not have possibly killed Jeremiah, I was with Peter in the woods hunting for a wolf. We could not find him so we came back to the old house and found Miss Winters here.” Barnabas knew he had lied and the lie he told was one that was to protect his good friend Peter. 

Vicki spoke up, “It was a wolf that attacked Mr. Jeremiah, I was there and saw it. He protected me from the attack by drawing the wolf away from me. He shoved me into the secret ammunitions room in the mausoleum to keep the wolf from attacking me!” Vicki could not allow this injustice to happen by blaming Barnabas for something that a wild beast had done.

Peter nodded, “We were together in the woods we just got back there is no way it could have been Barnabas that attacked Jeremiah. We have been together for the past three hours.” 

Ben looked down at the toe of his boot and sighed, “Then aye s’pose you all three should come back to speak to Mr. Joshua he is very upset and so is the whole of Collinwood.” 

Barnabas shook his head. “Well we must make haste to clear up this misconception.” The four of them began to make their way back to Collinwood all filled with remorse and sadness at the thought that Jeremiah had died. It had been Barnabas’ intent for the duel to throw his shot wide then leave and perhaps move to England. He had never intended to further his romance with Josette simply because he was having conflicted feelings about his Uncle’s wife and the woman who was trembling with spent emotions over that loss. He had supported her body close to his and found he was having impure thoughts about her. 

The memory of seeing her nude earlier had held in his mind for most of the day and even when he had been with Josette he had to push those thoughts of he away and focus back to what she was relaying about Miss Winters and Jeremiah and for a moment Barnabas had felt a pang of jealousy that Jeremiah had shown feelings for her and not his wife. This should have pleased him but ironically since that encounter with her in Josette’s room he had been unable to get that image out of his mind. He had spent the majority of the day lamenting over his decision to go through with the duel. 

Now as they approached Collinwood his heart sank as he saw every light in the house was on. It was a confirmation that something tragic had upset the whole household and a part of him did not want to go further but turn around and find the first ship to England. If only he could have persuaded Miss Winters to join him. Taking a deep breath he moved forward to face his father’s angry wrath.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 16

1845  
Collinwood Rear Gardens

Victoria stood admiring the lovely rose bushes that Harriett had doted on for the past twenty years. “I find when I am with my roses though they have thorns they are more friendly than some of my own family.” She sighed sadly. “I always seem to be coming into someone’s conflict.” She lovingly touched the velvet softness of one of her roses, and then bent to sniff it. “They at least do not disappoint nor hurt me because I can see their thorns and avoid them.” 

Victoria had looked at this woman with a degree of pity. “You see Daniel and I were arranged for our marriage. I had hoped to give him healthy strong sons and a lovely daughter that I could cherish myself. All plans do not go as we all hoped.” She turned with a bittersweet smile on her lips. Her eyes for a moment had gone distant. “But that is not the case for you is it my dear. I can see it in your eyes when you look upon Cousin Barnabas, you adore him.” 

Vicki had tucked her chin then nodded slowly. “Yes, I do love him with all my heart. I feel we have known each other a life time and it is my intention to be the type of wife he can appreciate and love and in return he has my love and loyalty. He is everything I envision in a man.” She had paused then added softly, “And a husband.” She added to clarify what her true meaning had intended. 

Harriett chuckled softly, “Of course my dear. I still will presume your marriage night must have been awkward. I mean you met for the first time and I know you naively thought those letters would acclimate you to the type of husband you would be getting but when it comes down to it my dear and this is from a mother at heart to a daughter, for that is how I view you now Victoria as one of the daughters of Collinwood. When a man has expectations that do not come from written word or a piece of paper it is vastly different. I hoped your mother had prepared you for your wedding night.”

Harriet had shuddered remembering her wedding night which had consisted of Daniel coming in whipping her gown up, falling on top of her and slamming his manhood into her with no preamble after a few moments he lay spent on top of her sweating like a horse after having run a mile in the heat. It was not the type of night she had hoped to have and it certainly did not improve. She did have a duty to family and unfortunately for her she had conceived with Quentin on that night. She did perform her nightly obligation as a wife dutifully and without complaint for the next 30 years. She even prayed that Daniel would take a mistress to give her some relief. For Harriett it was not to be her lot in life. 

She had recalled how Daniel had repeatedly quoted Joshua and his rearing lessons turning to Victoria she smiled indulgently, “I had to hear over and over how important it was to be faithful and dedicated to family. He would extoll the words of Joshua as if it were the sanctified version of the Holy Grail. How at least a modicum of affection should be bestowed on the ones that were to love you. So he would offer a chaste kiss before he expected me to lay still for his grunting and sweating on me.” She sighed and then looked away.

“I go to far, I should not be burdening you with my family failures or the lack of affection from a husband that does not know how to show affection.” She looked at the thoughtful look that had crossed over Victoria’s face. “I see you are feeling pity for me and my situation. It is of my own making and I have learned to accept and endure it my dear.”

Victoria smiled then looked down with the delightful shade of pink she seemed to hold in constant on her cheeks. “I can confess my dear Cousin Harriett, that any affection shared between myself and my husband are equally matched and there is a bond that came on our night of love making that I never expected. He was a gentle soul and took my feelings into consideration the whole time. So I cannot complain. He is an exception to the rule as far as men are concerned and I feel he has learned to love me on an equal basis and I am very happy with him.” 

Victoria had been so sincere expressing her feelings that Harriet was moved to tears with her confession. “You give me hope my dear Cousin Victoria that there is hope for both of my sons and my daughter to find happiness in their lifetime.” She sat back in the comfort of her chair looking at the now setting sun. “I had feared that no one baring the name of Collins would ever find a complete happiness with a mate. I see that I have hope to believe that it will be so.”

Victoria relaxed thinking about her life with Barnabas in her time. “I can assure you when it comes to the Collins males my husband set the standards for being what I had hoped and dreamed in my naïve little girl way of being the perfect husband. I have no complaints about him, he is all I could hope and dream that a husband could be and he has never disappointed me in any way.” 

“With words of such passion spoke by such a charming mouth how could anyone find fault with a woman such as my wife. Hello Cousin Harriet, I hoped you did not mind my intrusion. Imagine my surprise when I came home to have my house staff to tell me she was visiting with family and then to come upon such an eloquently sweet description of a man filled with faults how could I not fall in love with her and hope to cherish and keep her for the rest of our lives?” Barnabas stepped forward dressed in the stately grey suit with tails. Bending to plan a sweet kiss on her cheek he turned to take Harriett’s hand and kissed it lightly.

“Cousin Barnabas so nice for you to join us. Would you care for some tea, your lovely wife has been telling us of her devotion and love for you so it would possibly be wise for us all to learn your secret to keeping your wife so happy and content.” Quentin stepped from he arbor where he had taken up a position out of sight but within hearing of what Victoria was expostulating on the virtues of her husband. The glorious picture she had been painting was about to turn his stomach. So for once he was glad to have an interruption even it if was the subject of such poet prose. 

Barnabas turned and looked at Quentin, “I am sorry Cousin Quentin I did not realize that you were here or I would have made my cordial welcome to you as well as your lovely mother.”

Quentin waved off the supposed offense with a slight smirk and a flick of his wrist. “Actually I was about to fall asleep in the arbor there I am actually glad another male has made his presence into the house of the hens.” He smiled at his joke, which Vicki bristled not liking him comparing their talk as that of the cackling of a bunch of females chickns. 

Vicki set her cup down and then stood quickly, “Husband forgive me but I am feeling a bit fatigued I do not suppose you brought the carriage for the ride home did you?” She turned to Harriett then half turn to nod to Quentin. “I hope you will forgive me.”

“I find your company compelling cousin Victoria but of course I shall forgive but never shall I forget our memorable meeting on the beach this morning.” And there it was that wonderfully lovely shade of red that now crept all the way up her neckline to highlighted her cheekbones. Then the second predictable action the tucking of her chin to hide her embarrassment with a flutter of her lashes over those incredible hazel eyes. 

Barnabas frowned looked from his cousin Quentin to Victoria. “Is there something I am not aware of my dear?” He moved to take Victoria’s elbow and lead her to the other side of his body placing him self between her and Quentin. Another set of curious eyes looked at her son then to Victoria. The imagination was running rampant between the two not aware of what happened.

Victoria smiled shyly. “I decided to walk the beach today and well I was not in traditional dress, I had found some of Daniel’s old clothing from when he was a teen. They were all tcked away in the attic so I donned his pants and went wading in the water. Unfortunately, for me Cousin Quentin found me being quite decadent on the beach in my boyish clothing.” She was flushing showing her true embarrassment.

Barnabas had narrowed his eyes and then judged that she had been telling the truth smiled, took her hand and then patted to say gently with a tenderness she had come to associate with him. “My dear, I wish I had been there to see you dressed in those boyish clothing it must have raised an eye brown and caused a few embarrassed moments when you discovered you were observed.” He turned to Quentin and pointedly looked at the man with a different competitive look. “I am sure you were embarrassed as well were you not Cousin Quentin?” 

Quentin chuckled, “Actually I found your wife very charming while she played like a child in the surf. That is until she tumped me into the water and then ran away and unfortunately met one of our more disreputable residents of Collinsport. A headmaster at a local religious based school not far from here.”

Harriett piped up shocked, “HIM! What was he doing here on our property! You ejected him immediately did you not Quentin?”

Vicki flushed deeply, “He was very rude to me and tried to take liberties with my person and Cousin Quentin was there to stop him from molesting me any further.” 

Harriett jumped up from her seat sending her skirts flying about her legs with her agitation. “That man is despicable and hand no rights being on our property. I shall inform Daniel of this incident immediately. I for the life of me do not know why he allows him access to the grounds and now after this, I am sure he will stop his admission to the grounds.”

“Whom might this person be perhaps I need to pay a special visit to him to let him know I will not tolerate anyone touching my wife without her permission.” Barnabas was no longer interested in Quentin’s attention to Victoria as he was the thought that someone of disputation reputation from the town was once again targeting Miss Winters. 

He was reminded of the Reverend Trask from his time and how he had nearly raped her in the hallway of his own home. Even now he could vividly recall finding her nude in Josette’s bedroom and how that image had played havoc with his mind when he would see her innocently moving about the house or grounds. He had become so distracted by her image that he had trouble focusing his attention back to Josette, which had been one of the reasons that he wanted to call off his duel with his Uncle but his Uncle had died by a vicious attack from a wild animal. 

Shaking his head he turned to face Quentin, “And the name of this scoundrel that attacked my wife?”

“What is this? Who attacked Cousin Victoria?” Daniel entered the garden went to Harriett’s side kissed her cheek then turned to face Barnabas and Victoria.

“The very estimable Lamar Trask father, he molested Victoria in the woods this morning after her brief paddle in the ocean waves. He was very ungentlemanly.”

Daniel puffed up like a blowfish. “WHAT? Not Lamar, he is a man of impeccable credentials and a holy man! Did you do something provocative or invite him to be so rough in his handling of you Cousin Victoria?” Daniel pinned his gaze to the form of a woman that so strongly resembled someone he vaguely remembered from the past. 

It was an almost simultaneously uttered exclamation by all present, it was said at the same time. Harriet looking truly upset at the accusation shouted, “DANIEL~”

To Quentin’s resounding unruly and unbelieving protestation of, “FATHER!”

Then it was Barnabas that stood upright and glared dangerously at the man that had been naught but a young boy from his day, it was Barnabas expostulation that had caught Daniel’s attention because it had sounded so much like Joshua, “COUSIN DANIEL HOW DARE YOU! I DEMAND AN APOLOGY IMMEIDIATELY.” It was the set and the tone of the demand that made Daniel take notice.

He was taken back to so long ago to when he was under the rule and guidance of Joshua and remembered well his intonation and temper of his voice when he was displeased. Stepping back from the murderous look he had just received from Barnabas he sputtered, “I have known the man most of my life, he has been nothing but a devout and religious man that followed in the footsteps of his father who disappeared when he was but ten years old!”

Victoria could not hold her tongue. “A despicable licentious man that sought despoil virgins and to convict innocent women and then when he was done with them he threw them away to the hangman’s noose or he had them burned alive.” Victoria was on a self righteous proclamation speaking from personal experience and then in the middle of her tirade she sputtered to a stop and then took a deep breath and turned away.

“How do you know of this Cousin Victoria? That was before your time surely you are not recounting this from your personal experience?” Quentin had found that the heightened color and her backbone to face down his father was amazing and very compelling. 

“I speak of it from the experience of the ancestor or one of his victims.” She looked at Daniel. “When she was here you were but a sweet innocent boy. She wrote of you in her diary. She had not much memory. Reverend Trask abducted her from your very home under all of the family’s noses. She was held prisoner in the old house where he threatened her with being tied as a witch. Thanks to my very loving husband’s father she was able to escape from him.”

Barnabas stared in amazement at the ability she had to spin such a story. He thought she had almost slipped up when she went on her tirade. “So you were a product of her escape. Did she regain her memory?” 

Victoria sighed looked down, “She was my mother and yes, she did regain her memory. She moved away from Collinsport and she found her heart in the West. She moved to Indiana and there she met my father. I was the youngest born to them late in life. When father had a chance to marry me off in a good position he knew that Barnabas’ father was a good man and his son must have be an equally good man.”

Barnabas stepped to her side to pull her into a comforting hold. “Mother kept a diary and I found it and read it. It was extremely enlightening to say the least. The one thing she had trouble getting over was what happened between her and Trask and how he had tortured her because she would not submit to his sexual desires and whims. She was kept shackled in the slaves cells of the old house, can you not imagine how I felt the day we moved into that house and I went to that cellar and found the cells that my mother had been held prisoner? It sickened me. So do not stand there Daniel Collins and tell me what a wonderful man this Trask is when he is the same issue from the man that had tortured my mother!”

Victoria jerked away from Barnabas’ hold looked at the stunned looks on the faces of those that now surrounded her. “He manhandled me and he touched me in areas that if he had done the same to your sweet Harriett you would have him castrated. Now if you will excuse me I am not feeling well husband and shall see you at home, I think I would like to walk home so that I can seek my own counsel to get my emotions under control. Thank you Cousin Harriett you are a sweet dear woman and I am proud to say we are related, thank you Cousin Quentin for coming to my rescue, and as for you Cousin Daniel it would be a shame if I wrote my mother that the dear sweet boy she remembered and saved his life had turned into a condemning, fault finding poor excuse of a man. Good eve to you all.” 

She moved past them with her head held high she rushed from the garden and to the pathway that led to the old house. Barnabas glared at Daniel. “It is a shame cousin Daniel that your blind obedience to your friend had cost my wife great emotional distress. I still will expect an apology before this week ends. I fear that you have caused a great deal of distress within your own family. Once you repair your family’s obvious aggrieved condition, I suggest you present your self to my wife and present her with an apology. Until then I shall be allowing my wife her time to compose herself but I assure you I do not take lightly this slight you have dealt. Good eve all.” Barnabas followed behind Vicki.

Quentin sauntered up to his father’s side looked down at him and smiled. “Are you not the popular one this eve. Let us take an inventory of how many you have managed to upset, there is my mother, which I feel you owe her an apology, then let us not forget Barnabas, a close relative that holds a great deal of power and prestige in England and finally his wife, whom you challenged her veracity as to what she had to say about your oh so precious Lamar Trask, whom had I a chance would have thrown from Widow’s Hill.”

Daniel harrumphed glaring at his son. “I had a right to question her veracity, she had accused the man of nearly raping her!”

“With good reason father, when I came upon them he had her pinned to a tree and his hands were in her pants and under her top. He was pressing his body into hers and had her unable to resist any of his attentions. I can certainly say he was very aroused by the fact she squirmed to get away from him. She found him odious and a threat and had I not happened upon this scene. It was deplorable and by God’s own wrath from above I was incensed by his actions. I swear father he was about to rape her right then and there! So yes cousin Victoria and Cousin Barnabas do deserve an apology.” 

Quentin sighed deeply turned to his mother kissed her cheek and spoke softly, “I am sorry you have found no love in his cold bed for these past years mother. I can see where he puts his friendship to a debauched licentious man over his own family and for that I pity our family and I even pity him because he will die alone and lonely like Joshua did.” Quentin turned and walked off into the darkening shadows that now engulfed the majority of the garden. 

1796

The Old House Collinsport Maine

Nightmarish dreams permeated Quentin’s sleep. Tossing he sat up and screamed out “NO!” He looked down to find he was covered in blood. He began to sob, “No, no, no, not again! How was this possible?” He looked around at the ammunitions room noting he had managed to get locked into it sometime. Staggering up to the step he pushed it aside and opened the door with the hidden release.

Daylight was just peaking its tendrils of soft pinkish and yellow streaks through the now gathering cloud cover. Staggering out to the crypt area he sat on the sarcophagus of Naomi and buried his face in his hands. “Whom did I kill last night?” He muttered softly and felt horrible from his night of rampant blood lusting and hunting. Staggering out into the cemetery he collapsed on the ground and fell into and exhausted unconsciousness. 

Victoria moved along the pathway unfeeling, distant and filled with inconsolable grief. She had to see the spot she had last seen Jeremiah alive. Moving forward she saw a body lying on the ground. Fear and confusion filled her another body was lying where she had found Jeremiah. Rushing forward she dropped to the ground and rolled over the body. A sharp intake of breath filled her when she looked upon the features of Quentin. “No! Quentin!” She leaned over him to see if he held breath to his body.

Letting out a sigh of relief she saw he was covered in blood and searched his body for signs of injury and saw none and wondered whose blood he held to his body and clothing which had been shredded in what appeared to be some kind of horrible fight. Gently she patted his face. “Quentin open your eyes, please open your eyes.” She felt her tears streak down her cheek to fall and land on Quentin’s face. With the wetness hitting his face, Quentin groaned softly, slowly opened his eyes and smiled for her. 

“Hey, don’t cry it would take more than some large wolf to stop me. I am Quentin Collins remember?” He reached up a hand and with gentle fingertips he gently brushed her tears away. “See, I am fine just exhausted.”

Vicki smiled then leaned over and gently kissed his forehead. “Thank God. One death in the family is enough.” She spoke softly and once again her tears were beginning to form. Quentin blinked in surprise then spoke softly. 

“Who died last night? Not Barnabas?” He hated to think he was here during the time the curse had been set on his cousin. He watched her slowly shake her head. 

“No not Barnabas. It was Jeremiah who saved me from being attacked by a huge wolf that walked like a man last night. Unfortunately, it was Jeremiah that died.” She hiccupped and began to sob softly. Quentin sat up to gather her close to his body and cradled her to him. His guilt was now complete; he was responsible for the death of Jeremiah.

Holding her close to his body he spoke softly, “Vicki, he was destined to die either by a fall from the horse or a duel from Barnabas. Time could not stand still for him to live on that would have altered the future if he had actually been saved and continued to live. Events were already destined.”

Vicki looked up and sniffed. “But he wanted me to stay with him, he was willing to give Josette a divorce if he could have me here with him. He confessed his love to me. Then he was mortally wounded and with his final breath he told Josette she was his one true love and he would love her forever.” Victoria sniffed she was sure she had not misheard this information that had been whispered around her by the servants. 

Her grief was complete as she held onto Quentin and wept out the loss of the man she had loved not once but twice. “I had agreed Quentin, I had agreed to stay with him and what if by agreeing to not return to my time, I caused this wolf to kill him, it is my fault!” She held onto him with all she was as she cried. 

Quentin gently stroked her hair back from her face and spoke softly, “It was destined to be and it was not your fault. You and I both know you could not have stayed here in this timeline it would have altered the future. Now stop this blaming game and listen to me. We have to bide out time until we get back to the time we both belong and I have to protect you from Trask, he is responsible for me being here and of one thing I am sure, he had help. I just need to figure out who was responsible for this. Once we get back we will then be able to stop whomever had manipulated this entire fiasco.”

From the darkening of the wood line the two were being watched. Trask had followed her to the cemetery with the hope of trapping her alone so he could have his way with her. Now she lay on the ground with this man whom was another mystery and perhaps he like she was a male witch. His mind worked feverishly. He knew he had to get back because Phyllis Wick would be waking soon and he needed the touch of a soft body against his. It might not be the one he wanted but he would be patient and he would have his prize before the month was finished.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

1845

Collinwood Rear Gardens

Victoria stood admiring the lovely rose bushes that Harriett had doted on for the past twenty years. "I find when I am with my roses though they have thorns they are more friendly than some of my own family." She sighed sadly. "I always seem to be coming into someone's conflict." She lovingly touched the velvet softness of one of her roses, and then bent to sniff it. "They at least do not disappoint nor hurt me because I can see their thorns and avoid them."

Victoria had looked at this woman with a degree of pity. "You see Daniel and I were arranged for our marriage. I had hoped to give him healthy strong sons and a lovely daughter that I could cherish myself. All plans do not go as we all hoped." She turned with a bittersweet smile on her lips. Her eyes for a moment had gone distant. "But that is not the case for you is it my dear. I can see it in your eyes when you look upon Cousin Barnabas, you adore him."

Vicki had tucked her chin then nodded slowly. "Yes, I do love him with all my heart. I feel we have known each other a life time and it is my intention to be the type of wife he can appreciate and love and in return he has my love and loyalty. He is everything I envision in a man." She had paused then added softly, "And a husband." She added to clarify what her true meaning had intended.

Harriett chuckled softly, "Of course my dear. I still will presume your marriage night must have been awkward. I mean you met for the first time and I know you naively thought those letters would acclimate you to the type of husband you would be getting but when it comes down to it my dear and this is from a mother at heart to a daughter, for that is how I view you now Victoria as one of the daughters of Collinwood. When a man has expectations that do not come from written word or a piece of paper it is vastly different. I hoped your mother had prepared you for your wedding night."

Harriet had shuddered remembering her wedding night which had consisted of Daniel coming in whipping her gown up, falling on top of her and slamming his manhood into her with no preamble after a few moments he lay spent on top of her sweating like a horse after having run a mile in the heat. It was not the type of night she had hoped to have and it certainly did not improve. She did have a duty to family and unfortunately for her she had conceived with Quentin on that night. She did perform her nightly obligation as a wife dutifully and without complaint for the next 30 years. She even prayed that Daniel would take a mistress to give her some relief. For Harriett it was not to be her lot in life.

She had recalled how Daniel had repeatedly quoted Joshua and his rearing lessons turning to Victoria she smiled indulgently, "I had to hear over and over how important it was to be faithful and dedicated to family. He would extoll the words of Joshua as if it were the sanctified version of the Holy Grail. How at least a modicum of affection should be bestowed on the ones that were to love you. So he would offer a chaste kiss before he expected me to lay still for his grunting and sweating on me." She sighed and then looked away.

"I go to far, I should not be burdening you with my family failures or the lack of affection from a husband that does not know how to show affection." She looked at the thoughtful look that had crossed over Victoria's face. "I see you are feeling pity for me and my situation. It is of my own making and I have learned to accept and endure it my dear."

Victoria smiled then looked down with the delightful shade of pink she seemed to hold in constant on her cheeks. "I can confess my dear Cousin Harriett, that any affection shared between myself and my husband are equally matched and there is a bond that came on our night of love making that I never expected. He was a gentle soul and took my feelings into consideration the whole time. So I cannot complain. He is an exception to the rule as far as men are concerned and I feel he has learned to love me on an equal basis and I am very happy with him."

Victoria had been so sincere expressing her feelings that Harriet was moved to tears with her confession. "You give me hope my dear Cousin Victoria that there is hope for both of my sons and my daughter to find happiness in their lifetime." She sat back in the comfort of her chair looking at the now setting sun. "I had feared that no one baring the name of Collins would ever find a complete happiness with a mate. I see that I have hope to believe that it will be so."

Victoria relaxed thinking about her life with Barnabas in her time. "I can assure you when it comes to the Collins males my husband set the standards for being what I had hoped and dreamed in my naïve little girl way of being the perfect husband. I have no complaints about him, he is all I could hope and dream that a husband could be and he has never disappointed me in any way."

"With words of such passion spoke by such a charming mouth how could anyone find fault with a woman such as my wife. Hello Cousin Harriet, I hoped you did not mind my intrusion. Imagine my surprise when I came home to have my house staff to tell me she was visiting with family and then to come upon such an eloquently sweet description of a man filled with faults how could I not fall in love with her and hope to cherish and keep her for the rest of our lives?" Barnabas stepped forward dressed in the stately grey suit with tails. Bending to plan a sweet kiss on her cheek he turned to take Harriett's hand and kissed it lightly.

"Cousin Barnabas so nice for you to join us. Would you care for some tea, your lovely wife has been telling us of her devotion and love for you so it would possibly be wise for us all to learn your secret to keeping your wife so happy and content." Quentin stepped from he arbor where he had taken up a position out of sight but within hearing of what Victoria was expostulating on the virtues of her husband. The glorious picture she had been painting was about to turn his stomach. So for once he was glad to have an interruption even it if was the subject of such poet prose.

Barnabas turned and looked at Quentin, "I am sorry Cousin Quentin I did not realize that you were here or I would have made my cordial welcome to you as well as your lovely mother."

Quentin waved off the supposed offense with a slight smirk and a flick of his wrist. "Actually I was about to fall asleep in the arbor there I am actually glad another male has made his presence into the house of the hens." He smiled at his joke, which Vicki bristled not liking him comparing their talk as that of the cackling of a bunch of females chickns.

Vicki set her cup down and then stood quickly, "Husband forgive me but I am feeling a bit fatigued I do not suppose you brought the carriage for the ride home did you?" She turned to Harriett then half turn to nod to Quentin. "I hope you will forgive me."

"I find your company compelling cousin Victoria but of course I shall forgive but never shall I forget our memorable meeting on the beach this morning." And there it was that wonderfully lovely shade of red that now crept all the way up her neckline to highlighted her cheekbones. Then the second predictable action the tucking of her chin to hide her embarrassment with a flutter of her lashes over those incredible hazel eyes.

Barnabas frowned looked from his cousin Quentin to Victoria. "Is there something I am not aware of my dear?" He moved to take Victoria's elbow and lead her to the other side of his body placing him self between her and Quentin. Another set of curious eyes looked at her son then to Victoria. The imagination was running rampant between the two not aware of what happened.

Victoria smiled shyly. "I decided to walk the beach today and well I was not in traditional dress, I had found some of Daniel's old clothing from when he was a teen. They were all tcked away in the attic so I donned his pants and went wading in the water. Unfortunately, for me Cousin Quentin found me being quite decadent on the beach in my boyish clothing." She was flushing showing her true embarrassment.

Barnabas had narrowed his eyes and then judged that she had been telling the truth smiled, took her hand and then patted to say gently with a tenderness she had come to associate with him. "My dear, I wish I had been there to see you dressed in those boyish clothing it must have raised an eye brown and caused a few embarrassed moments when you discovered you were observed." He turned to Quentin and pointedly looked at the man with a different competitive look. "I am sure you were embarrassed as well were you not Cousin Quentin?"

Quentin chuckled, "Actually I found your wife very charming while she played like a child in the surf. That is until she tumped me into the water and then ran away and unfortunately met one of our more disreputable residents of Collinsport. A headmaster at a local religious based school not far from here."

Harriett piped up shocked, "HIM! What was he doing here on our property! You ejected him immediately did you not Quentin?"

Vicki flushed deeply, "He was very rude to me and tried to take liberties with my person and Cousin Quentin was there to stop him from molesting me any further."

Harriett jumped up from her seat sending her skirts flying about her legs with her agitation. "That man is despicable and hand no rights being on our property. I shall inform Daniel of this incident immediately. I for the life of me do not know why he allows him access to the grounds and now after this, I am sure he will stop his admission to the grounds."

"Whom might this person be perhaps I need to pay a special visit to him to let him know I will not tolerate anyone touching my wife without her permission." Barnabas was no longer interested in Quentin's attention to Victoria as he was the thought that someone of disputation reputation from the town was once again targeting Miss Winters.

He was reminded of the Reverend Trask from his time and how he had nearly raped her in the hallway of his own home. Even now he could vividly recall finding her nude in Josette's bedroom and how that image had played havoc with his mind when he would see her innocently moving about the house or grounds. He had become so distracted by her image that he had trouble focusing his attention back to Josette, which had been one of the reasons that he wanted to call off his duel with his Uncle but his Uncle had died by a vicious attack from a wild animal.

Shaking his head he turned to face Quentin, "And the name of this scoundrel that attacked my wife?"

"What is this? Who attacked Cousin Victoria?" Daniel entered the garden went to Harriett's side kissed her cheek then turned to face Barnabas and Victoria.

"The very estimable Lamar Trask father, he molested Victoria in the woods this morning after her brief paddle in the ocean waves. He was very ungentlemanly."

Daniel puffed up like a blowfish. "WHAT? Not Lamar, he is a man of impeccable credentials and a holy man! Did you do something provocative or invite him to be so rough in his handling of you Cousin Victoria?" Daniel pinned his gaze to the form of a woman that so strongly resembled someone he vaguely remembered from the past.

It was an almost simultaneously uttered exclamation by all present, it was said at the same time. Harriet looking truly upset at the accusation shouted, "DANIEL~"

To Quentin's resounding unruly and unbelieving protestation of, "FATHER!"

Then it was Barnabas that stood upright and glared dangerously at the man that had been naught but a young boy from his day, it was Barnabas expostulation that had caught Daniel's attention because it had sounded so much like Joshua, "COUSIN DANIEL HOW DARE YOU! I DEMAND AN APOLOGY IMMEIDIATELY." It was the set and the tone of the demand that made Daniel take notice.

He was taken back to so long ago to when he was under the rule and guidance of Joshua and remembered well his intonation and temper of his voice when he was displeased. Stepping back from the murderous look he had just received from Barnabas he sputtered, "I have known the man most of my life, he has been nothing but a devout and religious man that followed in the footsteps of his father who disappeared when he was but ten years old!"

Victoria could not hold her tongue. "A despicable licentious man that sought despoil virgins and to convict innocent women and then when he was done with them he threw them away to the hangman's noose or he had them burned alive." Victoria was on a self righteous proclamation speaking from personal experience and then in the middle of her tirade she sputtered to a stop and then took a deep breath and turned away.

"How do you know of this Cousin Victoria? That was before your time surely you are not recounting this from your personal experience?" Quentin had found that the heightened color and her backbone to face down his father was amazing and very compelling.

"I speak of it from the experience of the ancestor or one of his victims." She looked at Daniel. "When she was here you were but a sweet innocent boy. She wrote of you in her diary. She had not much memory. Reverend Trask abducted her from your very home under all of the family's noses. She was held prisoner in the old house where he threatened her with being tied as a witch. Thanks to my very loving husband's father she was able to escape from him."

Barnabas stared in amazement at the ability she had to spin such a story. He thought she had almost slipped up when she went on her tirade. "So you were a product of her escape. Did she regain her memory?"

Victoria sighed looked down, "She was my mother and yes, she did regain her memory. She moved away from Collinsport and she found her heart in the West. She moved to Indiana and there she met my father. I was the youngest born to them late in life. When father had a chance to marry me off in a good position he knew that Barnabas' father was a good man and his son must have be an equally good man."

Barnabas stepped to her side to pull her into a comforting hold. "Mother kept a diary and I found it and read it. It was extremely enlightening to say the least. The one thing she had trouble getting over was what happened between her and Trask and how he had tortured her because she would not submit to his sexual desires and whims. She was kept shackled in the slaves cells of the old house, can you not imagine how I felt the day we moved into that house and I went to that cellar and found the cells that my mother had been held prisoner? It sickened me. So do not stand there Daniel Collins and tell me what a wonderful man this Trask is when he is the same issue from the man that had tortured my mother!"

Victoria jerked away from Barnabas' hold looked at the stunned looks on the faces of those that now surrounded her. "He manhandled me and he touched me in areas that if he had done the same to your sweet Harriett you would have him castrated. Now if you will excuse me I am not feeling well husband and shall see you at home, I think I would like to walk home so that I can seek my own counsel to get my emotions under control. Thank you Cousin Harriett you are a sweet dear woman and I am proud to say we are related, thank you Cousin Quentin for coming to my rescue, and as for you Cousin Daniel it would be a shame if I wrote my mother that the dear sweet boy she remembered and saved his life had turned into a condemning, fault finding poor excuse of a man. Good eve to you all."

She moved past them with her head held high she rushed from the garden and to the pathway that led to the old house. Barnabas glared at Daniel. "It is a shame cousin Daniel that your blind obedience to your friend had cost my wife great emotional distress. I still will expect an apology before this week ends. I fear that you have caused a great deal of distress within your own family. Once you repair your family's obvious aggrieved condition, I suggest you present your self to my wife and present her with an apology. Until then I shall be allowing my wife her time to compose herself but I assure you I do not take lightly this slight you have dealt. Good eve all." Barnabas followed behind Vicki.

Quentin sauntered up to his father's side looked down at him and smiled. "Are you not the popular one this eve. Let us take an inventory of how many you have managed to upset, there is my mother, which I feel you owe her an apology, then let us not forget Barnabas, a close relative that holds a great deal of power and prestige in England and finally his wife, whom you challenged her veracity as to what she had to say about your oh so precious Lamar Trask, whom had I a chance would have thrown from Widow's Hill."

Daniel harrumphed glaring at his son. "I had a right to question her veracity, she had accused the man of nearly raping her!"

"With good reason father, when I came upon them he had her pinned to a tree and his hands were in her pants and under her top. He was pressing his body into hers and had her unable to resist any of his attentions. I can certainly say he was very aroused by the fact she squirmed to get away from him. She found him odious and a threat and had I not happened upon this scene. It was deplorable and by God's own wrath from above I was incensed by his actions. I swear father he was about to rape her right then and there! So yes cousin Victoria and Cousin Barnabas do deserve an apology."

Quentin sighed deeply turned to his mother kissed her cheek and spoke softly, "I am sorry you have found no love in his cold bed for these past years mother. I can see where he puts his friendship to a debauched licentious man over his own family and for that I pity our family and I even pity him because he will die alone and lonely like Joshua did." Quentin turned and walked off into the darkening shadows that now engulfed the majority of the garden.

1796

The Old House Collinsport Maine

Nightmarish dreams permeated Quentin's sleep. Tossing he sat up and screamed out "NO!" He looked down to find he was covered in blood. He began to sob, "No, no, no, not again! How was this possible?" He looked around at the ammunitions room noting he had managed to get locked into it sometime. Staggering up to the step he pushed it aside and opened the door with the hidden release.

Daylight was just peaking its tendrils of soft pinkish and yellow streaks through the now gathering cloud cover. Staggering out to the crypt area he sat on the sarcophagus of Naomi and buried his face in his hands. "Whom did I kill last night?" He muttered softly and felt horrible from his night of rampant blood lusting and hunting. Staggering out into the cemetery he collapsed on the ground and fell into and exhausted unconsciousness.

Victoria moved along the pathway unfeeling, distant and filled with inconsolable grief. She had to see the spot she had last seen Jeremiah alive. Moving forward she saw a body lying on the ground. Fear and confusion filled her another body was lying where she had found Jeremiah. Rushing forward she dropped to the ground and rolled over the body. A sharp intake of breath filled her when she looked upon the features of Quentin. "No! Quentin!" She leaned over him to see if he held breath to his body.

Letting out a sigh of relief she saw he was covered in blood and searched his body for signs of injury and saw none and wondered whose blood he held to his body and clothing which had been shredded in what appeared to be some kind of horrible fight. Gently she patted his face. "Quentin open your eyes, please open your eyes." She felt her tears streak down her cheek to fall and land on Quentin's face. With the wetness hitting his face, Quentin groaned softly, slowly opened his eyes and smiled for her.

"Hey, don't cry it would take more than some large wolf to stop me. I am Quentin Collins remember?" He reached up a hand and with gentle fingertips he gently brushed her tears away. "See, I am fine just exhausted."

Vicki smiled then leaned over and gently kissed his forehead. "Thank God. One death in the family is enough." She spoke softly and once again her tears were beginning to form. Quentin blinked in surprise then spoke softly.

"Who died last night? Not Barnabas?" He hated to think he was here during the time the curse had been set on his cousin. He watched her slowly shake her head.

"No not Barnabas. It was Jeremiah who saved me from being attacked by a huge wolf that walked like a man last night. Unfortunately, it was Jeremiah that died." She hiccupped and began to sob softly. Quentin sat up to gather her close to his body and cradled her to him. His guilt was now complete; he was responsible for the death of Jeremiah.

Holding her close to his body he spoke softly, "Vicki, he was destined to die either by a fall from the horse or a duel from Barnabas. Time could not stand still for him to live on that would have altered the future if he had actually been saved and continued to live. Events were already destined."

Vicki looked up and sniffed. "But he wanted me to stay with him, he was willing to give Josette a divorce if he could have me here with him. He confessed his love to me. Then he was mortally wounded and with his final breath he told Josette she was his one true love and he would love her forever." Victoria sniffed she was sure she had not misheard this information that had been whispered around her by the servants.

Her grief was complete as she held onto Quentin and wept out the loss of the man she had loved not once but twice. "I had agreed Quentin, I had agreed to stay with him and what if by agreeing to not return to my time, I caused this wolf to kill him, it is my fault!" She held onto him with all she was as she cried.

Quentin gently stroked her hair back from her face and spoke softly, "It was destined to be and it was not your fault. You and I both know you could not have stayed here in this timeline it would have altered the future. Now stop this blaming game and listen to me. We have to bide out time until we get back to the time we both belong and I have to protect you from Trask, he is responsible for me being here and of one thing I am sure, he had help. I just need to figure out who was responsible for this. Once we get back we will then be able to stop whomever had manipulated this entire fiasco."

From the darkening of the wood line the two were being watched. Trask had followed her to the cemetery with the hope of trapping her alone so he could have his way with her. Now she lay on the ground with this man whom was another mystery and perhaps he like she was a male witch. His mind worked feverishly. He knew he had to get back because Phyllis Wick would be waking soon and he needed the touch of a soft body against his. It might not be the one he wanted but he would be patient and he would have his prize before the month was finished.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Collinwood

Collinsport Maine

1968

Julia sat next to Eric and studied the book that Elliott had provided describing the use of the I-Ch'ing wands to transverse and travel time in the ethereal form. The more she read the more certain she was this would not be the best way to travel back through time to find their missing loved ones. "I am saying there are too many variables that would allow us to be lost forever. I am not for this mode of travel. I say we find this closet Quentin spoke of and travel back to the four major time fames to see what we find and how we might be able to bring Quentin and Vicki home."

Eric leaned back and pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Elliott seems to think we can do it. He did say there would be risks, from what I am seeing here there are very dangerous risks and frankly my love I am with you and what with you being pregnant I am not so quick to want to allow you to be a part of this. " Julia started to protest and Eric was ready for her protests. "Not that I don't think you will have your usefulness but not traveling out of your body to another time and especially now Julia, you are pregnant and I am not about to loose you and our baby."

Julia sighed deeply sat back and then closed her own eyes. Since she discovered she was pregnant Eric had been very protective of her. Almost to the point of smothering her with his concern and love. "I agree Eric, I would not wish to put our child at risk either but I am not one to just sit back and not do anything. Surely, you of all people know me better than that."

"Darling, I know how much you have invested in this family and in our love and for that makes me want to love you more than I ever could love any one person." He stood and closed the book in front of them. "I just want you to be safe too." Eric gently laid a sweet and tender kiss on her forehead then stood. "I suppose we should go on back to Collinwood and see if Elliott and Barnabas were successful in locating the closet that houses the ever appearing and disappearing stairway through time and figure out how it works."

"I thought they were going to go through Quentin's room to see if he left any notes on this phenomenon?" Julia sounded dubious to such a thing as a stairway through time could even exist but this was Collinwood and more than one unusual occurrence had been reported to happen. Rising she felt a slight twinge in the pit of her stomach. Grimacing she looked worriedly to Eric. "I think I am having growing pains with the baby." She laughed lightly straightened and sighed deeply.

Eric moved to her side and slid his arm around her waist "Come my dear perhaps we shall get you to Collinwood so you can rest and allow me time to talk with Barnabas and Elliott." Eric gently guided her to the door. His thoughts and concerns for the woman at his side that he failed to notice two of the old house residents watching them curiously.

"Why are they worried about Miss Winters Josette? Is she in danger?" Sarah peered up to Josette then watched the two close the door and secure it.

"I think Sarah they are worried about the baby that Dr. Hoffman carries and Miss Winters is in good hands so whatever danger tries to pervade itself on her they will be able to face it together. We must go to Collinwood and see what is going on before we decide if it is up to us to help or not."

Old House

Collinsport Maine

1845

Vicki silently walked next to Barnabas along the well traveled pathway between the old house and Collinwood. She sniffed and dashed the tears from her eyes in futility because with each tear wiped away new tears appeared and it was making her angry that she could not control he emotions as they traversed the pathway. "My dearest Victoria, you really should not allow Daniel's closed minded way of thinking hurt you so." He was angry with Daniel but he was far more angrier with Trask and as soon as she was asleep he was going to pay the headmaster Trask a visit, one he would not like or soon forget.

Leading her up the pathway towards the front doors of Collinwood he opened the door for them and lead her to the drawing room. Vicki was upset and hurt. Never would she have thought that Daniel would go against her like this but what did she expect he barely remembered her from so long ago. "I think am going to retire Barnabas." She had tucked her chin to hide her shame she felt for not being able to control her emotions.

Barnabas tilted her chin up, looked deep into her eyes and spoke softly to her. "My dearest Victoria, though I know what you told me of the future that we become paramours I feel so strongly for you now that I am at a loss as to how to comfort you." He gathered her close to his chest brushing her hair b ack and whispered softly in her ear. "I would like for you to come with me to my room and lay with me. We will not do anything that would comprise your principals. It is only to offer you the strength of my fortitude and comfort you."

Vicki tensed slightly then remembered in another one hundred plus years she would be this man's fiancé. Sniffing lightly she lifted her chin smiled through her tear soaked eyes and nodded, "I would like that Barnabas, it might make my life seem les confused if I find comfort from the man I shall marry in another century." Her words were spoke when such sincerity he was touched and it once again sparked a memory from long ago when he found her in Josette's room naked. Pushing back those thoughts for now he gathered her close leading her to the stairs.

They were halfway up the stairs when a hard rap resounded on the door. Barnabas turned her to him, laid a sweet little kiss on her lips and spoke softly, "Go to your room and then I will come get you after I tend to the visitor." She nodded turned and saw Magda at the head of the stairs. She frowned seeing how upset Vicki was and immediately thought to blame her distressed condition on Barnabas.

Vicki lifted the front of her gown and walked up to Magda, "Please join me in my room Magda I want your advice on an incident that happened and as I do not have my mother to consult I feel I can turn to you for your very good advice."

Magda watched the monster go to the door and she turned and followed behind Vicki angry and stone faced. "What has 'e done now? If 'e 'as 'urt ju I shall pull out his tongue!" When she was angry her gypsy accent seemed to be more prominent in her speech.

"No, no, no, Magda it is not him that has me so upset it is Daniel and a man called Lamar Trask. He has well let us wait until I get to my room. I am upset for many reasons and none of them have anything to do with Barnabas, if anything he has been a true gentleman and defended my honor." She sighed deeply when she moved through the open door to Josette's room. Moving to the bed she took her hat and laid it on the bed.

Magda was quick to jerk the hat from the bed. "No, Miss Victoria it iz bad luck to put a 'at on ze bed." She crossed herself and then spit over her shoulder. "It wards ze bad luck. Now turn 'around so I can undo your dress and get you ready for bed."

Vicki stood like an obedient child as Magda unbuttoned her dress and Vicki slid it off her body to pool at her feet. Stepping out of the dress she wiggled out of the petticoats to allow them to pool at her feet. Bending she picked up the dress and the petticoats and took them to the dressing room. She hung up her dress and then folded her undergarments and placed them in the cubby to which she had assigned. Feeling the cool air waft over her body she smiled. Though the nights were cool these garments were horrid for a woman to wear.

Moving to the dressing table she lifted her brush as she sat in her partially done up corset and pantaloons. Magda stepped up behind Vicki and took her brush. "Tell Magda what makes you leak tears from jur eyes and upsets ju so much ju splotch jur face." Magda watched Vicki in the mirror as she began to gently pull the brush through her curls. "I feel like jur mother when you cry and need to be held by mother. So speak what upsets ju?"

Vicki looked down the repetitive motion of the brush being drawn through her hair was relaxing her. Her shoulders dropped and she sat forward to rest her elbow on the dresser and cupped her chin with her palm. "Today, you know I went wading in the surf below Widows Hill and I was dressed in breeches and a shirt. Well, I got wet and was on my way back here when a man accosted me on the pathway."

Magda frowned deeply and tugged harder than she intended on Vicki's hair. "Oww, Magda, that hurt." Vicki shifted around and took the brush from her. "If Quentin Collins had not come along when he did I am sure he would have . . . " Her voice had grown soft and her face flushed. "He would have hurt me as no woman would wish." Vicki finished her sentence with softness to her voice that caused Magda to begin to swear softly. "Asta nu e bun fiu de balega de vaca, poate putrezi sufletul în gropi de iad pentru totdeauna!"

"Magda! What on earth are you saying? I don't understand?" Vicki spoke in s conciliatory tone. She waited for an explanation.

"I say, that no good son of a cow dung, may his soul rot in ze pits of 'ell forever!" Once again she spat on the floor. "I say ve go and take ze knife and de-man 'im" She was pacing back and forth then turned to the look of shame and fear on Vicki's face. "Oh little von, ju 'ave nothing to fear, ju must rest an not let zis man bother ju no more!" She turned putting her hands on Vicki's shoulders.

Vicki felt the threat of tears choke her and she dropped her gaze to the floor. "But Magda if I had not been dressed as a boy and Daniel said I invited his attention and I wonder if he is not right."

"Daniel! He iz a pious lout and does not deserve the love of Miz 'arriette. She is a good voman and knows who to trust. Vhat did 'arriette say about this?" Magda folded her arms over her chest and glared to the window she was growing madder by the minute hearing this from someone as nice as Victoria.

"She was upset that he would say that. She even took my side as did Barnabas, and Quentin. I swear to you Magda all I wanted was to wade in the water to cool off and to have a little innocent fun. I did not think this would snow ball into this kind of nasty accusation. I just want to know you don't think I would want to invite that man's attention do you?"

Magda began to mutter softly, rolled her eyes to the heavens., throwing her hands up in the air she spoke with so much passion she almost overwhelmed Vicki. "NEVER! Ju vould never invite such an action by any mans!" Magda was pacing madly back and forth. "'E iz zee dangerous von. Ju never did wrong. Now, ju get dressed and go lay down!" Magda rushed out of the door shouting to the top of her voice. "SANDOR! SANDOR!" Vicki watched her rush down the hallway towards he room she shared with Sandor.

Their voices could be heard as a subtle hum. Vickie choked back a subtle sob turned and saw Barnabas standing in the servant's entrance to the room. "Come my dear, allow me to give you peace." He held out his hand to her and she ran to his arms to be embraced close to his chest. Lifting her in his arms he carried her down the hallway to his bedchambers. Moving to the bed he laid her on the bed then joined her curling her body into his.

Gently, he removed her hair from her throat and began to trail small kisses down her neck to the throb of the vein. There he bit into her neck and began to drink. He held her tightly so she could not draw away from him causing him to tear her throat. He held her until he felt her grow weak and slip into unconsciousness. Licking her throat he watched as the wounds closed and she slipped into a restorative sleep. "That is right my dearest one, sleep. Let me take care of the problems that would surround and complicate your life."

Barnabas slipped from their bed. Walking to the window he smiled shifted into mist form floated from the open window and took flight as a bat. His direction was clear, he did after all get the directions to Trasks school from Quentin who had come earlier to apologize for his father's stupidity. Barnabas spread his wings with one destination in mind and one thought, Trask should be punished.

Old House

Collinsport Maine

1796

Peter looked down at his friend as he laid on his bed ready to die. "Oh no my dear friend you won't die."

"Peter why? Why did you do this?" Barnabas gasped as he held onto what threads of life he held in his body. "What are you?"

Peter smiled he felt rejuvenated with the taste of his best friends blood still filling his senses. "Because I felt you should share what I am my dear friend and together we can live an eternity. Here drink from me before you breathe your last." He bit his wrist and pressed his now bleeding arm to his lips. Barnabas tasted the blood. Choking on the blood he closed his eyes and felt the life he had just lived slowly begin to ebb from around him and his world went dark and his heart stopped beating.

Barnabas felt his body embrace the darkness and he breathed his last and laid limply on Peter's bed. From the corner Angelique appeared and smiled. "IT all begins a whole new world and a family that will remain cursed. Sleep for now Barnabas Collins for on the eve of tomorrow you shall rise and seek the blood of the innocent. The first you will seek will be one Phyllis Wycke. You will find Miss Wycke and you will kill her." She laid next to his chilling body. " Oh this is going to work out better than I thought."

From the distance she could hear voices in the drawing room. Rising from the bed she sighed looking at the now dead Barnabas. Covering him with a quilt she moved to the top of the stairs and stood listening to the two below. It was that mysterious woman Victoria Winters and the newest Collins cousin. What was his name? Oh yes, Quentin. Slipping into the darkness she got comfortable and listened to their conversation.

"You can rest here until we can get you back to the big house. I really can't be gone too long, Mr. Collins is dependent on me in this hour of their need." Vicki made him comfortable tucking a blanket around him and looked around seeing the whiskey decanter she walked to the table and poured him out a stiff drink. "Here drink this." She turned and walked to Quentin handing him the drink.

Quentin took the drink swallowed and coughed. "God that is great whiskey!" He choked and chuckled. "you know the first time we met, we were not very good friends and since then we have become very close. Now with you engaged to Barnabas and me well I found my Daphne again and we were going to plan our life together and look at us now."

Vicki smiled, "I am going to get engaged to Barnabas? I was engaged to a man that looked like Jeremiah. His name was Burke Devlin and he was very wealthy and dangerous. Nothing at all like Jeremiah. Well in some respects. They both were kind and considerate to me and they cared what happened to me and now they both are dead." She sighed and looked down at the floor and noted the floral pattern in the area carpet that covered the floor.

"I was not around to meet this Burke and I only knew Jeremiah for a short time but he is as my father said he was a good man with grand ideas and a great architect. He did after all build Collinwood." He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. It was a shame the true reason for his death was never properly recorded in the family history books. Just as this Barnabas was to move to London." He stopped realizing this Victoria did not know about Barnabas and his past.

Vicki looked confused, "What do you mean his was to move to London, did he not move to London?"

Quentin smiled, "Yes he did and you are going to become engaged to be married as a matter of fact that was what you were doing when . . . . well when I got brought back here, you had just put on your wedding dress to show us what a beautiful bride you were going to make. We all were admiring you and you had left Carolyn's room to go change when I heard you scream, and well the rest is what you see now. I was brought back here to this time chasing after the man that was the very same man that made an improper proposition to you in the foyer the other day."

Vicki stood and turned from Quentin with a soft gasp, "Trask?" She sounded upset and afraid. Turning she peered back at Quentin. "he is an odious man and takes advantage of poor young girls that have no defense, he is a charlatan trying to make a name for himself and now poor Miss Wycke is in his hold. I fear it will not end well for her."

Quentin nodded, "I agree, it will not end well at all. It is already a part of history Vicki, there is no way you can prevent it and to do so will alter the course of the future and perhaps make some disappear because they will never be born. So, when the times comes for you to travel back to 1968, you go even if I am not with you, you go."

Angelique covered her mouth with her hand; these two were from nearly two hundred years from now? What could her master do with this information? Would it be something she could bargain with to make sure that she held her position with him? It would have to wait they were making plans to leave the old house and go back to the big house on the hill. "Come on Quentin let's get you back to Collinwood and into bed so you can rest properly."

Quentin stood holding onto Vicki and allowed her to lead him out of the old house and to the pathway that lead to Collinwood. Angelique stepped out into the light and smiled. "Perhaps I can use this to my advantage."

Trask's School for Proper Gentlemen and Ladies.

Collinsport Maine

1845

Barnabas flew to Trask's school landing he transformed into his human form and moved towards the nearest window and peered inside at a lovely delicate looking blond girl that knelt before the holy cross. Her head was tucked to her hands pressed together in prayerful pose. She appeared to be praying, that is until a young man with sandy brown hair entered the room. She smiled lifted her chin and spoke softly, "Timothy, you came." She stood and walked to him, placing her arms around his neck she leaned up to kiss him.

Barnabas studied the wanton little wench, "Felicity, we should not do this here, your father could find us." He watched her turn and frowned deeply.

"he is a hypocrite the way he lusts after Rachel Drummond and then expects me to be so pious, mother would soon yank his chain if she knew how he was around Rachel." Then a thought struck her, "Wait you don't love Rachel do you?" She turned with an accusatory tone to her voice.

"No, Rachel and I are just friends, she would never wish to have a relationship with me like you think." Walking to her turned back, he laid his hands on her shoulder, "Charity Trask, you are the only girl I shall ever love. Know that one day your father's school will be our school. You must believe that."

Barnabas smiled, he knew how he could pay back Trask and there is was standing looking so deliciously tasty in front of him. Stepping back he turned to mist and floated to the window on the second floor and immediately witnessed what the one called Charity had spoken of when she spoke of her father and someone named Rachel Drummond. There he was with a poor young lady cornered in the room.

When Barnabas looked closer he saw what he thought he would never see again, he saw a young woman that strongly resembled his Josette and she was being pawed over by this man. Slipping in mist form into the room he floated to the darkness of the corner and reformed in human form. "Please Mr. Trask, don't this is not right you are married to Minerva, you must not take these liberties I do not wish them and you know this!"

She pressed her hands forward fending him off from further advances. "I said let me go! I must insist you let me go!" He pressed into her trying to steal a kiss from her.

"TRASK!" Barnabas growled out the name from the deepest part of his being glaring at the man that was so much like the one he had walled up in the old house. "YOU WILL MOVE AWAY FROM THAT YOUNG WOMAN NOW AND FACE ME!"

Trask spun around looking guilty and filled with outage. "How dare you enter my private quarters who are you!"

Barnabas advanced on the man, grabbing him by his jacket and pulling him face to face. "You sir are a philanderer and a charlatan, you will never approach my wife again and if you do so, I shall make you wish you were never alive."

He threw Trask across the room turned to the lovely young woman that had cowered from this man. "You may go now Miss Drummond and I will make sure he never harms you or tries this again." He turned to see Trask pushing himself up from the floor and straightened his jacket.

"Sir, I demand to know who you are and what are you doing in my home?" Trask was shaking somewhat and half fearful of which wife had spoken of his actions.

Rachel turned smiled tentatively to Barnabas then dashed from the room to get away from Trask. Turning back to Trask, Barnabas advanced on him. His eyes were fixed to Trask's and he now had Trask in his thrall. "I am Barnabas Collins and you attacked my wife in the woods today, I will have you never cross paths with my wife again. Is that understood?" Trask was mesmerized by the stare that now seemed to permeate his entire body down to his soul. "You will never go near Miss Drummond again and if you do try you will get an unreasoning fear that you will die if you do. Is that understood?"

Trask broke eye contact with Barnabas and turned his back on him. "I understand, now I must insist you leave my home." Barnabas smiled, reached for Trask grabbed his hand bent his wrist drew it to his mouth and bit into the wrist and drank from him. "Now you belong to me Trask and to disobey me will result in your death."

Trask looked stunned and only nodded. Barnabas smiled shifted into mist form and floated from the room, leaving Trask to look on befuddled and frightened.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

1845  
Old House Collinsport Maine  
Barnabas’ bedchambers

From somewhere in the depths of her state of unconsciousness Victoria could hear pounding noises. Sitting up and pressing her hand to her head she looked around and saw the mantle clock. “Who in the world is pounding on the door at 1:00 a.m.?” She braced her fists to the mattress, shifted and slid from the bed. Sliding on her shoes she padded to the bedroom door opened it and sure enough there it was again, a loud pounding.

Sandor opened the door having pulled on his breeches, “No Sandor go back to bed, I shall get the door.” Magda had followed him out to the hallway. She looked with a degree of suspicion to Victoria and then patted Sandor’s shoulders.

“Go, go, I vill go vith Lady Victoria.” She smiled, kissed her husband’s cheek. Magda did not like the look of her charge, she was too pale and was looking slightly ill if not weak. Walking up next to Victoria she hooked her arm with her own arm and tugged her along. “Come ve go see who is so rude to bang the door down in ze middle of ze night.” 

Victoria turned and smiled, “Magda, go back to bed with your husband, I can answer the door with no problem.” She sighed deeply turned and tugged against her arm. Magda looked at her throat and saw slight bruising but was not sure if it was from a recent bite or an old one. “Ju let Magda get ze door, ju need to rest.”

Vicki smiled shook her head. “Well if we wait long enough they will go away, no Magda, go back to your husband and be with him.” Victoria turned and walked down the hallway gathering her housecoat close to her body unaware she had blood on the collar. Lifting the gown’s skirt she walked down the stairs to the door as another round of pounding began. 

Magda with Sandor following edged into the shadows of the stairwell and looked below. Victoria slid the bolt back and opened the door to a hand and startled face of a man that was about to pound on the door again. His eyes were at first filled with frustration then with pleasure seeing such a delightful looking lady at the door. “Oh Madam I beg your pardon for such a intrusion so early, but we had an accident at the bend of the road and my companion and I need help.”

Victoria stood back to allow him entrance. The minute his image came under the light Magda recognized him immediately and she hissed and rasped out, “Aristides!” Turning to Sandor she whispered, “Petofi iz not far away. Ve must warned King Johnny, he iz ‘ere! Ju go get Gregor up bring ‘im to our room. Hurry Sandor, hurry, siz iz not good!” Sandor turned and shambled off down the road making the sign of the cross as he padded down the hallway. 

Victoria hearing he had a companion turned to open the door and look out into the growing shadowy night. “My goodness where is your companion? Should I send for a Doctor?” The sound of staggering steps looked again and saw the outline of another person slowly moving up to the stairs. “Oh my goodness.” She spoke softly and rushed down the stairs to help the large elderly looking man. Helping him up the stairs into the house. Magda continued to watch while Victoria helped the evil man himself into her house.

Turning she ran down the hallway, “Come ve got to go, she ‘as zat man in zis house. Get Julianka, Gregor and Alex up and ve go, ve go now. Shake ze dust of zis ‘ouse from our feet!” Magda’s accent became more pronounced the more she got agitated. 

Sandor had awakened Gregor who stood sleepily in the hallway. “Vhat iz goin on?” Gregor yawned turned to see Julianka and smiled at her then waited for his obviously hysterical aunt acting like a crazy woman. 

“Petofi!” She hissed at them all which now a collective of all gypsies were in the hallway. “Ve must warn King Johnny! Julianka, ju must go to jour fadder now, tell him Petofi iz ‘ere!” 

All eyes were wide hearing the name Petofi, Julianka turned into her room dressed quickly and on silent footfalls slipped out of the back of the house and made haste to her father’s camp, while Gregor and Alex began to gather the family’s belongings gotten by legitimate or illegitimate means. Shoving them into the large bag he kept by his bed. “Ve vill hurry Aunt Magda. Ve vill leave dis night.” 

Drawing Room Old House

Victoria knelt by the elderly gentleman checking him for injuries. He appeared to be very old and wore thick blue tinted glasses. He laid back with a sigh of relief. “Please just rest here for a moment, while I get you something to drink, you appear to be dehydrated.” She frowned noting he was sweating profusely. The old man reached for her and chuckled softly.

“No, no my dear just exhausted from the lengthy walk to your most welcome household. I just need to rest. Where is my man Aristides?” He glanced over her shoulder. 

“I am here Uncle.” He stepped forward helping Victoria to stand and then took her place by his side. Petofi watched Victoria leave the room. “Has she gone?” He Aristides whispered softly to his uncle.

He nodded, “I think she has gone to arrange rooms for us for the night. Quickly help me up, before she returns.” Aristides sat his uncle up on the sofa and assisted him to stand. “You will need to go get our bags once she shows us to a room, I will need you to do two things for me . . . . “

Upstairs of the Old House  
1845

Turning Victoria walked to the stairs. Moving up the stairs she called softly, “Magda? Sandor?” The house was silent. Walking to Sandor and Magda’s room she knocked softly, “Magda? Sandor?” Opening the door she saw the room gave all the appearances of having been vacated in a hurry, things were thrown about the room left completely disheveled. “What is going on?” She walked around the room then turned and moved to the other rooms and found the same evidence of having been vacated in a hurry. 

Sighing softly and feeling dreadful Victoria walked to two rooms down the hallway and quickly made up the beds and started the tenders in the fireplace to warm the rooms. Finishing up she walked back down stairs to the drawing room and found the older gentleman sitting up in one of the chairs by the fireplace. Victoria entered the room paused and thought he needed more heat by the way he was hunkered into the chair. “Oh my dear sir, are you chilled?” She had took the coverlet from the back of the sofa and walked towards him to cover him if he needed it.

“No, no my dear sweet child, I do not need your blanket, thank you for your kindness. It was I felt chilled when you left us and had my nephew,” He nodded to Aristides standing by the window. “Help me to this comfortable chair. Now to whom do I owe my many thanks that will never be adequately repaid?” 

Vicki glanced over to Aristide and smiled, focusing her attention back to the kind gentleman that had just complimented her she spoke softly, “My name is Victoria Collins. This is my husband Barnabas Collins and my house.” She stood back and it was then both men noticed the bruising on her neck and the blood on her gown. 

“My dear Mrs. Collins have you by any chance injured yourself?” Aristide spoke from his position in the corner. Then indicated her neck by pointing at his neck. He noted she glanced down and realized she had blood on her gown and glancing anxiously around the room she spoke softly, “Just a minor bruise from the other day it seems I got into a bit of a contested argument with a rose bush. I had not realized that it might have opened up and bled onto my gown.”

He had made his appearance so silently that none of those present realized her was standing in the doorway. “You have inured yourself Victoria?” Barnabas stepped into the room as his wife’s side and looked with concern to her neck and then her gown. “I believe my dear these guests have reason to feel alarmed, you have bled on your gown and your neck is bruised. Why don’t you go up and change into something more appropriate for guests while I entertain our new arrivals.”

Victoria took her fingertips and drew them to her throat she looked with open concern that she might have slipped up on their secret. “of course husband, but first allow me to introduce our guests, it appears they were involved in an accident down the roadway and sought help with us. I unfortunately could not locate Magda or Sandor or their family members it appears they have abandoned us.” She sighed deeply.

Barnabas cupped her chin in his hand leaning over to place a chaste sweet kiss on her forehead he spoke softly, “It is all right my dear, tomorrow we shall hire new help or ask Edith for the loan of some temporary help.” He had hidden his irritation over the fact he would need to be beholden to Collinwood and Daniel for help in their household. 

Petofi stood and bowed to Barnabas, “My good sir, forgive our intrusion into your home may I present myself to you, I am Count Andréas Petofi, and this is my nephew Aristide.” Barnabas moved to the liquor cabinet.

“Might I offer you and your nephew some libation I understand my wife may have prepared rooms for your stay. I am sure she will tell me once she returns.” He waited for an answer about a drink.

“I would love a spot of sherry if you have some my dear sir and I thank you for your courtesy. It has been a most distressing night to say the least.” Petofi assumed the pitiful put upon nobleman.

“Yes, I am sure you are most upset over what has occurred. Tell me whom were you visiting while in Collinsport Count?” He handed his sherry to him and another to Aristide. Stepping back he folded his hands primly in front of him. 

Victoria stood poised in the middle of the entryway. She wore a gown of soft pale yellow that was button up to her neck. She walked into the room and spoke softly, “Excuse me husband, I have prepared rooms for our unexpected guests. I gave them the blue and green rooms. They are the ones that were at one time Jeremiah’s and Daniel’s.” 

She stepped next to Barnabas and studied the two men. “I am sure my husband can show you to your rooms, do you have luggage that you will need carried to your rooms?”

It was the perfect opportunity for Petofi to send Aristide out of the house. “Yes, my nephew shall go and bring them to us.” Victoria nodded turned to place a chaste kiss on her husband’s cheek.

“Now if you will excuse me I have not been feeling well lately.” She stepped back and walked to the stairs. Barnabas bowed to the two men and followed his wife up the stairs. She continued down the hallway to Josette’s room.

“Victoria?” Barnabas followed her into the room and took her in his arms. “My dearest one what troubles you?” He studied the concern and hurt look on her face. Victoria had tensed when he touched her and this alerted Barnabas to something that was not right between them.

Victoria looked up into his sad concerned filled eyes. “Barnabas you bit me earlier and left me. Why?” She was worried and hurt that he had taken from her without her offering to him. She saw him tense in return then drew her to his chest. 

“Victoria I was concerned over what I had heard earlier and Quentin and I decided that Mr. Trask needed someone to speak with him about how he treated you and that he should stay away from you. I did that tonight and before I went I took from you to keep from killing the man.” 

Victoria looked up into his eyes. “I don’t mind that you take Barnabas but you did not ask, I would have freely given to you what you needed. I love you, I loved you for over three years now and we are planning our wedding in my time. How could I deny you, it was not an honest thing for you to do especially to me.” The tears stung her eyes and this touched his heart.

Cupping her chin in his palm he looked deeply into the ever-changing colors of her eyes. “My dearest Victoria, I must confess to you something I have held back for over seventy-five years.” He led her to the settee and seated her. Then he knelt at her feet.

“That day I saw you shall we say in delectate in Josette’s room, I have thought of nothing else but you. While I lay in that coffin and waited for someone to come and release me, I thought of you to keep me from going insane. It was you Victoria Winters, it was you that held my thoughts, my fantasies and my life in your tiny delicate hand.” He reached for her hand and planted kisses on each fingertip. 

“I wanted to know all I could about you and then when I saw Trask holding you in the cellar here and how he had treated you, I wanted to kill him for harming you the way he had. I have to say I did that but when I went to look for you after I had blocked him up downstairs. I could not find you. After that life was not worth staying around or living. I asked Father to kill me but he could not bring himself to do that.”

Victoria stroked his face looking through eyes of love at the one man she knew was to be her destiny. “Barnabas I love you and I forgive you for not asking me about tonight. I only want you to know should you ever wish to do something like that again, just tell me what you are doing?” 

He stood and sat next to her gathering her into his arms. “I promise you I will never take without asking you first.” Vicki went willingly into his hold. He stroked her hair from her face and smiled tenderly as he spoke. “Know I would do nothing to harm you my dear and I hold my hope that we shall always be together even in the time from which you come.”

Vicki nudged his chin and sighed. “I am tired my dearest one, I suppose I shall prepare for bed. Are you going to assist the Petofi’s?” She glanced up into his eyes and smiled.

“Yes, my dear I shall go with the nephew once I settle the Count in his room. I suppose I shall give him Jeremiah’s room and the nephew shall have Daniel’s old room. You go change and rest before I retire I shall come to check on you.” He kissed her forehead pushed he back peered deep into her eyes then lowered his lips and kissed her deeply.

He was surprise to feel our pliable and willing she was to give of her self to him so readily. Rising he turned and walked to the door pausing to peer back at her. “Until later my love.” He walked from sight.   
Collinwood 1797  
West Wing

Quentin moved from closet to closet watching to see where his stairway through time was hidden. Feeling frustrated he walked back to his bedroom where he found Victoria waiting for him.

“Any luck?” she looked at him with half heated hopefulness in her voice. He shook his head and collapsed on the bed. Pinching his fingers on the bridge of his nose he moaned softly.

“I checked every closet and nothing could be found. I know it is one of them I am just not sure which. I keep hoping I shall catch the right one. Once I find it, then I could take you back. Then go and find you and take you back to the correct time and date.” 

Vicki thought about this for a moment. “From what you tell me I am going back after I complete why I have come back to this time. If that is the case, then you must go on without me You must promise me this Quentin, no matter what happens.”

Quentin sighed deeply he did not want he to face what he knew she was about to face. He did not want her to have that pain or face the despicable Reverend Trask. ”I promise you this Victoria if I go back I know I will see you again and I will find you in that other timeline and bring you back to your beloved Barnabas.” 

Vicki looked down it was hard for him to speak of her Barnabas as her beloved when she was still trying hard to get over the death of Burke and now there was the death of Jeremiah. It was like loosing Burke all over again. She stood and moved to peer out his window. She noted Joshua seemed to be very agitated and was ordering the servants about. “Odd.” She spoke softly.

Quentin stood from his bed and walked to Victoria’s side to the window and watched the antics of Joshua below. “I wonder what that is about?” A soft knock on Quentin’s open door frame brought his attention over to his doorway. In the doorway was Millicent Collins. She was very upset and appeared to be near hysteria.

“Oh Miss Victoria could you go to Miss Josette’s room she is very upset and she has just learned some terrible news.”

Vicki walked to Millicent and looked at her disheveled appearance. Victoria knew the petite blond was a bit addled patted and very sensitive to her surroundings and having lost her chance to make a match with Barnabas had turned her attention towards a Lieutenant Forbes who had been commissioned in the Militia. 

“Millicent what is the problem?” She put a hand of comfort on her shoulder, which resulted in her breaking down in tears. “There, there Millicent, calm yourself and tell me what is going on?” 

Millicent looked over to Quentin then rushed to him throwing her arms around him for comfort. “It is Barnabas, Joshua just came back and said he found him dead!” Victoria frowned turned from Quentin who was comforting Millicent and made her way to Josette’s room. From the outside she could hear her sobbing with heartfelt deep grief driven sobs. Knocking softly on the door she spoke, “Josette?”

Opening the door she looked upon the tear soaked features of Josette Collins and she looked horrible, she had not bathed or combed her hair and was in a soiled gown. “Josette my dear sweet Josette!” She rushed to her bedside and felt the woman wrap her arms around her neck and sob into her neck.

“Oh Victoria, it is all so horrible! First Jeremiah and now it is Barnabas! Joshua says he found him dead and put him in his room. Please Victoria go and check to see if it is true!” Victoria shushed her softly and cooed to her.

“Now Josette, first let us get you cleaned up so we can properly greet those that will come to help us grieve. Now come along while I fix you a bath.” Vicki lead her down the hallway to the bathing chambers and ordered the servants to prepare her a bath. Helping Josette bathe Victoria promised she would personally go to the old house to make sure it was true. Washing her hair and bathing her Victoria helped her dress and then dried and combed her hair and plated it down her back. 

Walking her back to her room she looked up to see a very distraught and upset Naomi who was tearful and full of pain filled grief at the news. Then there was Sarah who was clinging to her mother’s skirts. Together the two walked to Sarah’s room where Naomi put her to bed. 

After trying to calm and offer support to everyone that was very upset over the news of Barnabas’ demise, Victoria slipped to Quentin’s room where she found he was napping lightly. Not wishing to disturb him she walked down the stairs to see Joshua standing in the middle of the foyer bellowing, “Find his body! I tell you I want his body found!” He turned to Victoria and seeing her as a island of calm in a sea of insanity he moved to her and grabbed her shoulders. “If ever I needed a strong shoulder to lean on I need yours now Victoria say you will stay with me until I have word on Barnabas’ body!”

Victoria slid her arm around his waist and lead him into the drawing room where she seated him by the fireplace then turned to get him a stiff drink. “Joshua were you sure he was dead?” She turned and carried the drink to him handing him the stiff whiskey she just poured. Joshua took it and downed it in one gulp.

Victoria patted his shoulder. “There now Joshua let us think this through. You found him and you were sure he was dead?” She had to ask him again he had not seemed to comprehend the first time she asked the question. “You said you carried him to his room now think Joshua when you did this was he cold to the touch and stiff or was he pale? Did he have a heart beat?”

Joshua handed her the glass, “Another.” He appeared to be reliving the moment he walked in and found his son lying on the bed of his best friend. He rubbed his forehead and thought about that moment. He certainly looked dead, he was pale and he was cold to the touch but he had not grown stiff. Perhaps it was that strange disease he had heard about where someone appears to be dead but they are not. 

“Do you think it possible?” He began to look for hope in a house that was now filled with the darkness of death, with Jeremiah just laid to rest how could he possibly have lost his only son? He stood and walked to the window to look out at the darkness that now encompassed the entire grounds. “I know he felt cold to the touch and he certainly did not appear to have a heart beat. He was pale but he was not stiff.”

Victoria sighed softly, “Do you wish me to go to the Old House and check again, if he had merely passed out or went unconscious he could have gotten up and possibly gone out of the house and perhaps was confused and well . . . “ She was sounding like she was grasping at straws for any explanation. There had ot be more to this than what was presented after all there was his great, great grandson living in the old house in her time.

“Would you mind going to check one more time for me Victoria? I am exhausted; take two of the servants with you when you go. I don’t trust these woods what with wolves running around and attacking people.” 

Vicki walked to the hallway where she found Jacob and Joab, “Gentlemen, for Mr. Collins we will go back to the old house and check one more time perhaps Mr. Barnabas was not dead.” Vicki put on her cloak and followed the two men out of the house and to the pathway that would take her to the old house.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in getting the next chapter up. My mother fell and broke her hip and she is 87 years old, so I had to take some time off to attend to her needs. Thank you for your patience.

Chapter 19

1845 Collinsport Maine

Old House Josette's Room

Vicki could feel the soft stroke of a hand on her hair; the voice she expected to hear was not Barnabas. She struggled to open her eyes to see whom it was that was taking liberties with her while she lay in Josette's bed. "So lovely and such a shame you will belong to the monster. I plan to make sure you never marry him. If you must marry someone you should marry me." Struggling to open her eyes she found she was unable to do so. "No my dear, I know you are awake but I wish you to remain unable to stop what is about to happen."

Petofi turned to see Aristides standing in the doorway. "Is it done?" Noting the young man's smile he nodded. "Good come bring our new guest we must be in our new home before the spell wears off. I don't want her waking up and fighting against what is about to happen." Petofi chuckled softly stood back and watched Aristides lift Victoria from the bed. "How soon until he returns?" Petofi followed him from the room watching him take care to carry Vicki with due diligence to not harm her.

"He will not get out of that situation I placed him in until daylight and by then he will need to seek shelter out of the sun."

Petofi chuckled, "As long as the body is in tack, I do plan to use it you know. This one is worn out and I need a new one that can last forever and as a vampire it will last me for as long as I need it and I won't age and I shall have this lovely young lady at my side as my wife." He smiled thinking of the pleasures he could seek with her following his servant out of the house.

Collinwood Woods

1845 Patheay near the Old House

Quentin had approached the old house and saw Victoria being carried by a stranger. He frowned and then paled when he saw who followed Victoria and her captor. "Petofi! What the hell are you doing here?" He had hissed the name and then nearly jumped when he heard another's voice behind him.

"Making trouble for sure for dat vun!" Magda watched as they loaded Victoria into a carriage and drove off. "I vant 'im dead!" Magda spit saying the name of the man she hated more than she hated Barnabas. "'Is servant done sealed Barnabas in za room. Sandor iz releasing 'im now as ve speak. Come, I will show you vhere dey take 'er." Magda poked Quentin's side jerked her head for him to follow her into the woods.

"What is he up to? Do you know?" Quentin began to follow her down the pathway to the entrance to the tunnels beneath Widow's Hill. Showing Quentin something he had long forgotten. It had been in his youth he had first discovered the series of tunnels that Jeremiah Collins had carved out during the war with Joshua with the intent to connect the two houses. "I had forgotten about these tunnels. Is this where Aristides had taken Barnabas?"

"Jes, he brought 'im 'ere and collapsed some rock in one of ze side tunnels to trap 'im. Sandor found za secondary tunnel to ze chamber and ze are vaiting for us dere. Din ve go to Petofi's 'ouse!" Magda was indignant that the scourge of all gypsies had her Victoria and even though she did not like Barnabas, she did not wish this on him or his woman.

Quentin continued to follow Magda as she bantered on about her hatred of the very same man that had tried to take Quentin's body from him. "Is he planning on trying to take Barnabas' body?" He knew that trick only too well and the fact that Magda had forgiven him enough to speak with him for mistreating her sister was a big step in a more positive direction between the two. He did not realize that his father Daniel had secured a very deranged and totally insane Jenny in the tower room.

"Jes, he vants 'is voman and 'is life which would be very bad!" Magda paused then whistled softly into the darkness of the cave, to her whistle she heard a response from the depths of the darkness. Quentin watched as a soft light appeared in the cave's dark interior.

"Magda?" It was Sandor's voice that echoed back to them.

"Jes, I bring Quentin. "E saw Petofi take Victoria!"

Barnabas sat looking stunned from his ordeal of being buried alive. What Quentin had not realized is that he had been pinned in a room filled with crosses that had since been removed. "What of Victoria? What has that blackguard done to her?" His voice sounded weak and he was appearing to have trouble breathing. That was the point of view of Quentin that now walked into the room to peer around at their surroundings.

In reality Barnabas was weakened but angry and was trying hard to contain his anger. "I swear as God in my witness if he harms on hair on her head, I shall kill him!" Barnabas' voice had dropped low and had almost become a growl.

"Relax Cousin, I know Petofi well and all he has to protect him is his servant Aristides. We will get Victoria back for you. We just need someone as strong or stronger in the dark arts than he is." Quentin said it like it was not about to happen and they were not going to find anyone that was equal to Aristides.

Barnabas sighed deeply looked up and then smiled, "I happen to have someone that is equal in the dark arts."

Quentin quirked a brow, "Really and whom might that be? Because I have a friend but he is a new initiate to the ways of the dark arts."

Together both said the name of the person and found it was astonishing that both were closely associated.

"My sister Angelique."

"My friend Evan Hanley."

Both looked at one another and then a soft chuckle from Magda reminded them they were still a part of this conversation. "So, jour sister and jour friend share somezing in common. How appropriate!"

1795 Collinwood

West wing hallway

Quentin opened the door and was amazed, the stairway through time was there now all he needed was for Victoria to come and join him, glancing around he frowned, what if he took her back before she was done doing what was needed? She had made him promise that regardless he was to leave without her. Shaking his head and feeling pretty much a coward, he stepped through the doorway and began his trek to the year 1968. He walked up the stairs until he came to a door and opened it.

Stepping into the hallway he sighed, it was as he remembered, filled with cobwebs, dust covered furniture lining the hallway and the smell of musk and slowly decaying carpeting filling the air. "Thank god." He muttered softly.

"Quentin dear boy! We had just begun our research of your stairway when you appeared we have been waiting watching three closets in this section of Collinwood hoping to see this magical stairway appear." Elliott Stokes stood watching Quentin now dressed in eighteenth century period clothing.

"Elliott thank goodness. I was there I saw Vicki in 1795. She was unable to come back with me." He was apologetic but was confident he had taken the correct actions.

"You did the right move dear boy. To have brought her back could have caused a catastrophic cascade and you may not have found Collinwood standing."

"So she was correct in sending me on without her?" He needed that reassurance. He looked tired and anxiously awaited to hear what Elliott would say.

"Absolutely you were right to move on without her. You were in a time not your own just as she was. She had a mission to accomplish and she did just that in the time she was first there in the time she was needed. You however were the preverbal fly in the ointment. We must find out what the fallout for that will be and you have some explaining to do. Who was that poor unfortunate man that had your diary in his desiccated body?"

Elliott led him down the hallway to another juncture where they met up with Daphne. Seeing Quentin she dashes to him and threw her self into his arms. "Quentin! Oh Quentin!" She kissed him deeply and he could feel how fast her heart was beating.

Of course he returned her passionate kiss with as much feeling as he was receiving and was glad to hold her in his arms, he whispered softly against her ear, "I have missed you my dearest love." He could feel the dampness from her tears as it soaked his collar and neck.

"I was so worried we had not seen or heard from you or Victoria over the past two weeks!" He could feel the tension in her body, the passion in her voice and the fear that had edged her mind. He was however surprised to discover it had been only two weeks here when in fact he knew he had been gone for over three months.

"I think we need to find Julia and Barnabas and go back to the old house. We still have a missing Victoria and have been unable to locate her dear boy." Elliott's sage wise voice broke the moment between the impassioned lovers. Quentin reluctantly let her go turned to face Elliott.

"It is very easy to find Victoria, I took her to 1845 and shoved her into the time that I was here at Collinwood. I can simply go back into the stairway and go fetch her!" He had turned as if in preparation to return to the stairway in time. When Elliott stepped in front of him.

"It is not that simple Quentin. That is why we are going back to the old house to discuss this situation and decide a course of action. I will also explain why you cannot go back. For that matter the only way you could go back is through I-Ching or Barnabas use I-Ching to bring her back."

1845

Seaview Cottage Upstairs Bedroom

Aristide looked with a degree of interest on the unnaturally sleeping form of Victoria. Leaning forward he took his fingertips and trailed it over her cheek to her lips. Gently he ran his index finger over her lips and wondered what it would feel like to press his lips to hers. He even wondered what it would taste like to kiss someone so pure and untouched. "Beautiful isn't she Aristide." His voice was filled with breathlessness while he watched the two of them from the doorway.

His gaze drifted over the large room noting that Aristide had executed his orders to perfection. He smiled and looked with approval at the bars over the two main windows that faced the ocean. The door was double locked from the outside. The inside of the room was done to perfection with a canopy bed of Spanish lace; the color was a deep rose color. A large fireplace faced the west wall away from the sea, which was on the east wall.

He took inventory mentally noting, a nice table, a bookcase, vanity table with silver brush and comb, perfume. His eyes continued over the room to the large, wardrobe closet. He had personally selected and filled with expensive gowns from Paris. His gaze looked to the dresser he had filled with satin and lace gowns, and foundations garments. From behind he could hear the uneasy shuffling of feet.

Turning he placed those myopic eyes on the small young lady he had hired to be her personal maid. "Antoinette, come here and see your new charge." He pushed the fourteen year old wide eyed girl forward to peer into the luxurious room. Guiding her to the side of the bed, Petofi waved his hand and watched for a moment for Victoria to open her eyes. It started with a flutter of her eyelashes and she opened her eyes to peer confused and unsure of her surroundings.

"Welcome to my home and your new room my dear. Allow me to introduce myself to you. I am Count Andréas Petofi and I welcome you to my new home." He did a half courtly bow from his waist. He offered him his gloved hand. "Allow me to assist you to sit up and introduce you to your new family."

He waited for her to take his hand and when she hesitated she felt her hand grabbed by Aristide and put into the gloved hand of Petofi. "Now, now Aristides, not to rush the poor girl she is confused and I am sure somewhat frightened by her circumstances." Covering her hand with his free hand he gently tugged her to a sitting position.

Vicki slid her legs around and set them on the floor. Not saying a word she glanced around at those that seemed to surround her, then she saw th young lady and smiled timidly for her since she appeared to be so afraid to be in the two men's presence. "Why am I here? Where is Barnabas?" She felt terribly under dressed in her gown and housecoat in front of these stangers.

Petofi's expression froze for a moment. Assuming his original cordial attitude he chuckled softly, "My dear this is your new residence and we are your new family. You must forget Barnabas. He is dead." He had said it so calmly and with little emotion that Victoria was not going to believe one word he had just spoken.

She lowered her gaze and studied the floor. "I don't believe you. I think you have taken me somewhere and he is out there trying to find me. I would know if my husband were dead." She had said it with such passion that Petofi had to rethink his first impression of this young woman. Stiffening his smile he turned and walked to the barred windows.

"I see, well be that as it may my dear you will not longer play out that farce of a marriage with Barnabas Collins. You will be joining my family and will be known as Tatiana Petofi my niece and I will arrange a marriage for you." He continued to watch the fog roll in from the oceanfront. Turning he smiled, "I have plans for you and your future my dear and in that future you will learn that I get what I want."

Aristide please attend me downstairs. Antoinette, attend your mistress and I want her called Tatiana from this point on is that understood?" Petofi turned and walked with a gated step to the door and waited for Aristide to join him. Once Aristide passed through the door Petofi pulled the door closed, then secured the two women in the room together. Aristide sighed deeply.

"I do not think she is going to like being your niece Uncle. It seems to me she is going to fight us all the way on this." Aristide had fallen into step next to his master. "Are you sure you made the right choice in this one?"

Petofi smiled his eyes hidden behind the thick glasses he now wore. "I think I do not care what she feels, if she becomes too resistive, I will merely put her under my control and she will be my puppet to do as I ask. I am sure she is the right one, she is still a virgin you young fool surely you could see that in the purity of her essence. She is no more Barnabas Collins' wife than I am a normal mortal man."

Petofi walked into the drawing room and sat heavily on the chair by the fireplace. "We will not have any problems with Collins, I buried him deeply in that cave and had it covered with crosses he will never get out." Aristide chuckled softly at the thought of the look on his face when he discovered the cave was filled with holy crosses.

"What of the gypsies that were staying at Old Collinwood? What of them?" Petofi took his glasses off, pulled his kerchief from his pocket and cleaned his tinted glasses. He glanced to Aristide awaiting his response to that last question.

"I had them followed and they were headed out of Collinsport. I think they saw us near the house and were alerted to our presence. I also had Quentin Collins followed, he has taken an unhealthy interest in his cousins 'bride'."

Petofi chuckled, "This may work out better than I even had hoped. I shall get my revenge on all the Collins Family before this project is done. Now, I will be retiring just make sure that you allow Antoinette out of the room. You also have your orders on what I want done by tomorrow?"

Aristide bowed, "Consider it done my lord." He straightened turned and walked from the room once again headed to a place only he knew he should go.

1795

Basement of the Old House Prisoner Cell

Trask hovered over the near unconscious form of Victoria Winters as he made his demands. "I will allow you time to consider your fate my dear, for now you will stay here. There will be no one to hear you cry or your pleas for help!" Trask turned and walked towards the main area of the cellar, hearing a door he paused, "Gifford! You sure took your time getting here!" Peering up into the darkness of the stairwell he paused no hearing a reply.

What froze his heart with fear was a voice he had not expected to hear. "YOU!" Barnabas Collins eyes glowed with a hint of blue while he glared at Trask, hearing a soft crying sound in the back of the cell he glanced briefly to the area his father had chained errant servants and slaves. Frowning deeply, he growled again. "Whom do you have held in that room!" Moving quicker than Trask's eyes could see Barnabas was on him and grabbing him by his shirt front and flinging him against the wall to watch him hit with an groan and grunt to slide into unconsciousness to the ground.

Ben slowly walked into the foyer and could hear the sounds of an altercation occurring in the cellar. Rushing to the door, he paused only for a moment then moved quickly to the cellar. "Mr. Collins?"

Barnabas had already advanced to the cell and paused his eyes widening at the deplorable state he had just discovered Miss Winters. "Ben here! Hurry!" Lifting her he carried her from the room after breaking her chains. Meeting Ben in the hallway he gently handed her over to his care. "Trask had her held captive here."

"I was goin' ta tell ya she was missin' from Collinwood and Mr. Joshua had ordered us to search for her." Ben held her in his arms cradling her much as he had Sarah when he had found her in the cemetery that time.

"Take her upstairs into the drawing room, then return to me down here, we have a task that must be performed before this night is over."

Ben carried her up the stairs and laid her gently on settee by the bay window. Covering her with the blanket that laid over the back of the settee he looked at her one more time before turning and rushing back down the stairs to meet with Mr. Barnabas.

Vicki's eyes opened and she looked with pain and fear in her gaze around the room. She was not sure how she was freed but the one thing she knew she did not want to stay in this house with Trask nearby. Pushing her body up, she staggered to the door and out of it into the night . . .

1969

Collinwood The Library

Elliott stood behind the desk; his gaze was fixed on the sheaf of papers he had been perusing. "So you see my dear boy, that is why you cannot physically go back without causing a cascade affect and thereby possibly destroying all of us!" He glanced up from the page he had just been studying reached for it and handed it over for Quentin's perusal. Quentin took the page and glanced at it.

His frown deepened and then he sighed deeply, "Then how do you propose we rescue her from 1845, if not with the stairway through time?" He had crumpled the page marked Cascade Affects with double occupation. It had been a paper written by Elliott in his youth and now had been carefully preserved like the rest of his papers. "We cannot leave her there! It was Trask's fault to begin with. He is obsessed with her and he came through that stairway to kidnap her and take her back to 1795."

"We deal with Trask before he has a chance to take or meet Victoria. If we do this, then we do not need to go back in time. The problem will never have happened." Barnabas entered the room looking worn and worried. "I will kill him before he has a chance to meet Victoria. He will not then come back and take her for whatever perverse heinous reason he may have."

"But you won't know about the plot or what Trask truly is in that time. The only way you could do that is if you go back before you were made into a vampire. Barnabas we both are in a position that neither of us may go back, not even Professor Stokes can go back to rescue Victoria we both are in that time frame. Professor could not subdue someone like Trask and there is the chance Ben Stokes and Professor Stokes in the same time line could that also cause a cascade affect?

"Not necessarily, but it does put my family line in danger." Elliott dropped his monocle and used it to tap it against his fingertips while he stood thinking. "My thoughts were to remove our consciousness from out bodies and placed them in our contemporaries in that time. However for you, Quentin, we have not found an ancestor other than Daniel and Joshua from that time frame.

Quentin shook his head. "No, there was another one that Father said I favored that came to Collinsport briefly he had just married a Countess or Duchess." Quentin walked to the bookshelf and withdrew the family history from the years 1750-1799. Barnabas paused momentarily thinking about that visit.

"He is right we had a distant relative, he was a nobleman, a Duke from . . . " Barnabas was trying to remember the country when Quentin found the portrait and picture.

"Luxembourg, he was the Grand Duke of a smaller principality near that location. His name Henri Collins Limburg." Quentin lifted the book with the page open to the family from that distant country. Laying the book on the center of the desk next to Elliott's picture he could see all eyes were fixed to the handsome face that so closely resembled his own.

"But he did not arrive in Collinwood until my mid twenties and I was in Martinique at the time of his visit so I did not get to meet him." Barnabas looked at the portrait and had to admit this was a contemporary to Quentin there was a strong family resemblance.

"Gentlemen what you are all are forgetting is that once you occupy those bodies you will have the knowledge from this time and will have bonded in one common cause and that is to prevent Trask from ever meeting our Victoria and thereby having the opportunity to kidnap her or cause a problem for others in Collinsport."

All three men smiled looking from one to the other. "Then I suppose we have a plan the next way we execute this plan is to figure out how we get back in time to our other bodies."

Elliott reached into the satchel he had previously set on the chair and smiled. "Easily accomplished." He lifted the box with the I-Ching wands and dumped them on top of the family history book. They tumbled into a haphazardly fashion with the 47th parallel lying on top. "And this gentlemen is the wand or shall I say our invitation to the past and a way to bring back our lovely Miss Winters."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

1969

Collinsport, Maine Old House

"So, gentlemen we are agreed we meet tonight at midnight here at the old house and we begin your journey to the year 1795, you Quentin will take over the body of Grand Duke Henri and you Barnabas will possess your own body. I am hoping that we will have you both arrive prior to Victoria meeting with Trask, if that is the case you will either distract him from ever meeting Victoria."

"I shall destroy him Professor, he is a bane on the butt of society and did not deserve to live. What he did to poor Miss Wycke was reprehensible. What he must have done in his perversion to other such women was nothing short of disgusting. He is a waste of air and does not deserve to live."

Quentin smiled, "I think maybe we should give him a taste of his own medicine cousin, perhaps he should be the one to be accused of witchcraft and put on trial. Perhaps we should bring in a renowned witch hunter of our own when Grand Duke Henri arrives and make accusations against him. Perhaps if he were the one under scrutiny, then he might not wish to pursue his perverse interests in young girls."

Barnabas smiled and nodded slowly, "Perhaps we should make him a guest of a succubus, I understand they are far more demanding than even Trask." Barnabas turned to Elliott, "Do you wish to come back and join us in Ben's body and summon a succubus to take Trask?"

Elliott smiled and nodded slowly, "I think that would be a wonderful idea my dear Barnabas, a very good and well thought out and fitting punishment for someone like Trask."

1795

Collinsport, Maine Old House

Victoria awoke in the drawing room of the old house, fear and terror filled her body, pushing her abused body up she rushed from the room out the door and down the pathway that would lead her back to Collinwood. Falling to the ground she closed her eyes and moaned softly, "Please, please someone help me!" Hearing a noise it spurned her to stand and begin to run towards the front lawn that was the approach to Collinwood's porte conchere. Throwing herself against the door she turned eyes wide and seeing what she perceived to be a figure moving towards her she grappled with the door's handle and pushed the door open to stagger into the foyer and collapse into Roger Collins arms.

"Oh Mr. Collins, please help me protect me!" She clutched his arms and looked wildly around the room that now held familiar resonance to her. It was her Collinwood and she was home realizing it she collapsed into a heap of grateful unconsciousness. Roger followed her down to the floor and cradled her body close to his, stroking her hair back from her face he looked gratefully into her pale face and saw the abuse she had to have suffered.

Looking around he shouted, "ELIZABETH! BARNABAS! SHE HAS RETURNED! VICKI IS BACK!"

1845

Collinsport, Maine Old House

Quentin paced the floor he watched the front bay windows anxiously then paced to the door only to turn and pace back to the fireplace and when the knock came he rushed to the door and flung it open. Standing before him stood Evan Handley and Barnabas' sister Angelique with her husband Peter. "Please come in, we have a family crisis and your powers are needed."

Evan looked curiously from Angelique to Quentin. "What powers would those be Quentin?" Evan was being glib with his tongue in cheek question. Angelique studied Quentin and found herself oddly attracted to him. "Perhaps you should be more specific on your request."

"Count Petofi is here, I need your help to defeat him and retrieve Barnabas' wife from his hold." Quentin spoke softly and watched the look on Barnabas' sister's face. He was immediately arrested by the look that Evan's brother displayed when he mentioned Barnabas' wife. He noted that Peter stiffened his stance and turned his back on them. "You have a problem with helping your brother in law Mr. Hanley?"

Angelique laughed lightly, "Why would you say that Mr. Collins? Surely, you know we as family usually stick together. My husband is a bit offended by the lack of courtesy my brother has failed to extend to family and would wonder why we should help you with this problem?"

"Because Angelique, it is your duty as my sister to help with the family or would you want my family here in America to think you do not have any family honor as a former Collins?" Barnabas stepped from the area behind the louvered doors to enter the drawing room more fully.

"Where was your family honor the night we came to pay call to you brother? You choose to ignore us and send us on the way when a simple invite into your home for shelter would have been helpful."

"I recall that night quite clearly and if you will recall my wife had taken ill that night. I needed to attend to her needs first and as you saw fit to absent yourself from my knowledge for years it seemed fitting to treat you as such."

"Now, now, now, this is not the time to go against one another when a family should be joining to help one another and I am sure that once this nasty little situation is over, that you two can find a mutual ground to reward one another." Nicholas smiled. When Barnabas looked at that smile all he saw was deceit behind a polite mask for society.

"I would be amenable to such a compromise, if my sister would agree and assist me with helping me get my wife returned." Barnabas shifted his gaze from Peter back to Angelique.

"Well I might finally get to meet the woman that captured my brother's heart." Angelique had been curious about this woman that claimed to be his wife when she knew for a fact he had not been that long from his sealed coffin.

Barnabas smiled, "But my dear you do know my bride. You met her some time ago. I am sure you remember Victoria Winters?" He watched the look of incredulousness waft over her features. "Father arranged our marriage, I am sure you remember the one reason you left home was because you refused to allow father to arrange your marriage."

Angelique turned to Peter who had spun around hearing Victoria's name and hearing she was the one pretending to be his wife. "That is impossible! She went back to her time, how can you say she is here?" It was the first that Peter had spoken since Barnabas arrived in the room.

Evan and Quentin studied the three and knew there was more going on with this group than was previously known. Quentin was the first to ask, "Her time? Her time is now what the hell do you mean by that Hanley?"

"Yes, brother, what did you mean by that?" Evan held his smile and then he quirked a curious brow. Angelique turned to Evan and Quentin and spoke softly. "Because when we first met Miss Winters she claimed to be from the future. Which was one reason father did not think she would be a good match for Barnabas because he thought she may be possessed, demented, or a witch." Angelique chuckled softly.

"Yes, but then father had a reconciliation with Miss Winter's father and then arranged the marriage, we met when I arrived in the states and sent her ahead of me after our marriage. That is when her carriage over turned and she ended up at Collinwood in the west wing."

Barnabas pushed past the gathered group heading to the window to peer out over the front lawn of the old house. "I am sorry that I was not more forth coming to the two of you upon your arrival obviously, I was just beginning to meet the current family members of Collinwood, and then my wife's illness distracted me enough to be less than cordial to family, for that I am truly sorry and wish now to extend this house and its amenities to your disposal." Barnabas felt as if his tongue would burn and fall off for being so solicitous to these two that had caused him so much grief.

But at this point he had to do what ever he needed to get Angelique's co-operation to help him get Victoria back. Even now he worried she was being ill used by Petofi and intended to find a way to destroy him. Turning he looked from Angelique and could see that smug self-satisfied look on her face. Peter however was not as cordial or forgiving.

He turned to Angelique and spoke softly, "He is your brother you do what you wish. If it were me they both could burn in hell as far as I am concerned." He darted a dangerous look at Barnabas and then smiled, perhaps he could make him suffer more. He was after all attached to Miss Winters and he was obviously falling in love with her. That might be the ultimate way to make him pay for what he had done to Phyllis.

Angelique sighed softly, "If you wish my help dear brother then who am I to deny a family member my expertise." Evan smiled he seemed to have seen how this would play out and he was interested in finally seeing this mysterious woman that held more of a mystery than the eye of Pandora. Which he knew Quentin had obtained some years back while he was in Egypt.

"Quentin do you still possess the Eye of Pandora?" He asked subtly looking to see Angelique's reaction to this news. Angelique spun around and looked at Quentin.

"You have the Eye?" Her breath had become raspy with he excitement hearing that such a revered object was near her reach. Eyes wide and feeling her breath come in short intakes she had to calm herself to prevent hyperventilation.

"Yes, I have it. It's a paperweight in my room. I never believed in the old story of the fabled Eye of Pandora. It was a pretty egg shape rock so I took it from Ra's temple and brought it home."

Angelique smiled, "Then you will need to fetch it and give it to me. I will use it against Petofi and we shall get my sister in law back." Angelique practically purred with her request and her eyes lit up. Evan frowned he did not know what she was up to but he knew that she had something deliciously evil in mind and it would not bode well for Victoria Winters Collins.

1968

Collinsport Maine, Old House cellar

The group huddled around the table and waited for Elliott to drop the wands and place the 48th parallel on top. Watching Elliott with precision place the wands on the table he stepped back, took his seat and spoke softly. "Now gentlemen close your eyes and concentrate the top wand, picture your body becoming light and you stepping from it and turn to approach a door. For each of you have different destinations to take."

He took a deep breath and waited for Quentin and Barnabas to do as he had instructed. "The year for all of us is 1795, you Barnabas back before you were cursed by Peter Bradford, you Quentin to search for and take the body of your Uncle the Grand Duke Henri, whom I believe is in route to Collinsport, Maine, I shall follow to occupy Ben's body."

Barnabas was the first to step forward from his body turning to enter the door and travel through time and space to find himself in the conscious body of his own body in the year 1795. Blinking quickly and acclimating him self to his surroundings he turned to note he was at the Plantation and was awaiting Josette's return from a visit to a nearby neighbors. "No, this is not right." Closing his eyes he knew he had gone back too far. Turning he closed his eyes and once again vacated his body and stepped through the door to turn and re-enter the door and find he was on the beach and he saw her standing and looking rather forlornly over the ocean's waves.

She was preparing to turn and walk back to widows hill when her gaze fell on him watching her. There it was that sweet innocent smile. "Barnabas, my sweet! I tried to get away earlier but I was detained." Josette rushed to his side embraced him with a passionate kiss. Barnabas broke the kiss and looked up to see Victoria had seen them together he moaned inwardly. "Oh my dear Josette, you must return to Collinwood immediately. I have business with Miss Winters." He glanced over Josette's shoulder and saw that Victoria had turned and began to walk swiftly away from the two lovers.

Josette frowned, "But Barnabas you said we must meet you wanted to talk to me that it was urgent and now you wish to toss me aside for Miss Winters?" The frown had turned to a petulant pout her eyes hidden with a flutter of her lashes.

"It is important my dear, Miss Winters is in grave danger and I must make sure she is not molested by that despot Trask, I promise my love I shall come to you later for now, return to Collinwood, I know Jeremiah is looking for you." He kissed her forehead and turned her forcefully away from him. "off you go my sweet." His words were sincere but she was not hearing the sincerity she was feeling his rejection.

With a soft huff she turned and marched off towards Widow's Hill. Barnabas sighed and turned his attention to the now retreating form of Miss Winters down the beach. Picking up his speed he rushed forward to go after her. Just as she rounded the large abutment of rocks that designated a boundary of the Collins' beachhead he heard her cry out with a sharp gasp and a subtle scream that seemed to have been cut off or suppressed.

Rushing forward he rounded the rocks and saw Trask pinning Victoria to the roughness of the rocks, his hands were taking liberties that sent Barnabas into a deep rage. Rushing forward he pulled the man from her body and threw him to the surf. "You sire are a rake and a bastard. I will give you exactly one minute to get your sorry hide from my sight!" Trask pulled himself from the surf and glared at Barnabas.

"I have a right to test her for witchcraft she appeared under mysterious circumstances and as such could very well be under the hand of the devil! You will regret this Mr. Collins, I shall have the woman to test her!" Trask turned and marched to his horse he had tethered on the other side of the rocks and mounted up. Barnabas watched him ride off then turned to attend Victoria.

"Miss Winters, please are you unharmed?" He noted she had received some scratches and was surely going to bruise from the rough treatment that Trask had delivered upon her. Inwardly he was angry he had not gotten here in time to prevent their meeting so now he and Quentin would need to go through with the second part of their plan. He watched her straighten her clothing and hug her ribs with her arms.

"Mr. Collins I did not wish to intrude on you and Mrs. Collins so decided to take my stroll away from your meeting. It seemed too personal for my attention." She pushed her hair back from her face and turned her back on him. "I apologize for interrupting your meeting."

He could hear it in her voice she was embarrassed and she was hurt by his attention to Josette. Walking to her turned back, he placed his hands gently on her shoulders and spoke softly into her ear. "Victoria it is I your Barnabas from 1968, I have come to rescue you from the attentions of Trask." He leaned into her trembling body and felt her turn to look at him in askance and surprise.

"My Barnabas?" She whispered softly and watched that familiar smile edge its way across his lips and he nodded slowly, tipping her chin up he gently placed a soft kiss on her lips. Then stepped back.

"There are circumstances that demanded that Elliott, Quentin and I come back to this time to prevent a series of events from transpiring to keep you from harms way and from Trasks unwanted attention. That meeting between Josette and I was to take place and Jeremiah was to discover us on the beach and issue a challenge, what I just did is change the course of history when I sent her back to Collinwood. My concerns and my attention is needed here with you."

From behind they heard a horse galloping at full speed, an outraged Jeremiah raced upon the intimate scene and he flung himself from the saddle and marched towards Barnabas. He had recognized the dress as one of Josette's and thought when he approach the two that he was having a tryst with his wife, he stopped short when his gaze fell on Victoria standing in the tender hold of Barnabas. "Barnabas? Miss Winters?" He looked a the disheveled condition of Miss Winters and frowned.

"Trask assaulted Miss Winters and I was within an inch of thrashing him. I sent him on the way and he threatened to return to take Miss Winters and test her!" Barnabas protectively held Victoria next to him and noticed that Jeremiah was now looking with the hunger of a man that wanted another woman not his wife.

Jeremiah turned away from them. "I will deal with Trask and Abigail I am just as sure she sent him out here to find her. I think for the safely of Miss Winters Barnabas she should return with us to Collinwood and make her residence there. It would be more appropriate for her to stay there and she would be excellent company for Josette. Which where is she? The servants said she was here on the beach."

Barnabas sheltered Victoria close to his body. He had to remind himself that there were memories and history between them that Victoria had not experienced. "I agree Jeremiah and just as I am certain that the servants were not aware that Josette was just strolling along the peak of Widows Hill and returned to the house some time ago." Barnabas began to lead Victoria back to the main part of the beachhead and to the path that would take them to Collinwood.

"Yes, I am sure they were mistaken, come along Miss Winters let us tend to your cuts and bruises." Jeremiah collected the reins from his horse and walked with the two towards the hill. As they approached the front of the house they stopped and noted that a very ostentatious carriage was parked under the porte conchere. Barnabas smiled noting that a coat of arms proudly displayed on the carriage door meant that Count Henri ne' Quentin had arrived.

Vicki stumbled feeling the pains of the abuse she had taken from Trask and felt close to fainting. Jeremiah handed his reins to Barnabas and swept Victoria up in his arms. He hated to admit it but he was feeling a strong attachment to this mysterious young beauty that had just appeared on their doorstep. "Allow me Miss Winters to help you the rest of the way to the house." His eyes looked deeply into the turmoil riddled gaze of his new houseguest. For a moment he imagined what it would feel like to drown in the depths of that gaze and to taste those lips that were pressed together to hide her pain.

Barnabas bristled; he had lost Josette to Jeremiah he was not going to loose Victoria to him. "Uncle, why not allow me to have Miss Winters while you attend to the new arrival which appears to be some kind of royalty by that coat of arms proudly displayed on the carriage. You might wish to join your 'wife' to welcome the new arrival while I see to the comfort of Miss Winters." Barnabas turned to gently take Victoria his Uncle.

Reluctantly, Jeremiah knew he was right and he relinquished his hold on Victoria. Turning he walked to the front of the house, while Barnabas took Victoria to the servant's entrance and up the backstairs. Pausing briefly to tell Lilly to prepare a bath for Miss Winters and to see that the room he had selected for her had the bed made.

"Do you know if the front green room has been prepared?" Barnabas shifted her weight in his arms and looked expectantly to the young girl now eyes wide and staring with open mouth at the deplorable condition the regal lady Victoria displayed while being held by Mr. Barnabas.

"Yes, milord Barnabas, the room is ready for occupancy, take Miss Victoria to the room and I shall go to the bathing chambers and prepare her bath for her. Should I inform Mistress Josette she is in the green room?"

"No, your mistress is currently welcoming guests in the drawing room. Once I see to Miss Winters comfort, I shall be joining them." Barnabas passed Lilly walking to the room that Victoria had occupied upon her arrival to Collinwood. "I thought you might like your old room back while you are in residence in this century."

Vicki laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes wincing as he found a new bruise on her tender flesh. "Thank you Barnabas, I have been half out of my mind with fear and anxiety since I arrived and I have no idea why I am here." Her breath was warm against his neck.

"You are here to prevent a wrong from being committed. Essentially there is a function you must perform to see that the Collins name and linage continues my dear, so you have a very important part to play." He wanted to press his lips to hers and taste the sweetness that she offered with that pretty pout that only enhanced her beauty.

"I must return or you would not be here to watch out for me." She looked up as they arrived at the door that was her bedroom. "I can stand now Barnabas you can put me down if you wish." She smiled shyly. He watched her flutter her lashes and knew she must be in a great deal of discomfort but was trying to hide it.

Slowly he lowered her to the floor and held her close to his body. "In our new timeline you and I are about to be married Victoria, how does that make you feel?" He whispered against her ear as he turned the doorknob to her room. He watched the soft color edge its way from her neck up to her cheekbones. Her eyes opened wide and she looked at him in surprise.

"We are to be married? I suppose we are very much in love?" She hinted at his saying the words so she could hear them instead of how fond he was of her, which had always been the big crux for her to get closer to him. She did not want to entangle her emotions with someone that was only fond of her.

Barnabas looked deeply into her gaze and smiled, "I can say without hesitation that Victoria Winters I love you will all my heart and would lay down my life to protect you. I am anxious for the day we pledge ourselves to each other." His words were said with such intense sincerity and their moment was so intimate that neither of them knew that they were being watched and was over heard.

Josette gasped softly turned and scurried down the hallway her heart breaking and her eyes filling with tears. Her mind in turmoil she could not believe she had been so blind as to not see that Barnabas had felt trapped with her in an impossible situation and now he had confessed he was in love with that woman! Rushing past her husband she ran to her room and slammed the door to slide the bolt into place and then to throw herself across her bed.

Jeremiah walked to her door and knocked softly, "Josette? Josette? My dear what is wrong? Are you ill?"

"Go away Jeremiah! I have a horrible headache! Go away!" she called through her sobs. "I am ill please ask Duke Henri to forgive me, I am not well!" Her voice was choked with her emotions and all she wanted to do was curl into a ball and die.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Collinwood Drawing Room  
1796

The grand and very distinguished man standing before Barnabas was every bit Quentin Collins in looks and voice. “Were you successful in keeping Trask from meeting Victoria?” Dressed in an expensive brocade jacket and pantaloons of satin Quentin looked every bit the distinguished Duke he was to represent. However; he felt uncomfortable in the fancy close fitting breeches and the jacket. 

“You know you should look more relaxed in your clothing Quentin, you are beginning to show your nature of wishing the convenience of the longer breeches.” He stepped aside and walked to the fireplace. “In answer to your question, no. I was too late. He accosted her out by the cropping of rocks that divide Collins property from the public beach.” He sounded disgusted with himself.

“Then I suggest we meet at the old house later and we shall summon the beast and Trask. It should prove interesting to see Trask consorting with a demon. You Quentin, will have Joshua present so he can witness the event him self.” Elliott in Ben’s body stepped into the room and it was odd to say the least to see Ben but hear him using the vernacular of Professor Stokes.

“That is impossible gentleman Joshua is in Bangor and will not return for another fortnight. I do not know what is going on here but it seems there is a plot afoot and I am surprised at you Ben Stokes being so well spoken for an illiterate. “ Jeremiah stepped more fully into the room having come upon the conversation of the three conspirators. “Now I want to know what is going on and just who exactly are all of you?” 

Barnabas turned with a sigh, “We Uncle are whom we represent in body but in mind we have taken over these bodies to avoid a grave injustice and to right a horrible wrong that is about to happen.”

Jeremiah frowned, looking around at the three men and what a dichotomy of representatives they were. One whom appeared to be his nephew, another a man of royal bearing and stature, and another a servant indentured to his brother but obviously was a lot more educated than he was led to believe. Shifting that gaze over each and every one of them he spoke softly, “Are you from the same future that Victoria has come?” He shifted his gaze back to the man that looked every bit as his nephew Barnabas. 

“We have placed our minds inside these bodies, they are our ancestors. So, yes we are from Victoria’s time. As a matter of fact we are from the time three years ahead of Victoria’s time when she left. This we know Trask finds a way to transcend time and he comes to kidnap Victoria and we are here to stop that from happening. Now my question to you is how do you know this?”

“Because I told him Barnabas, I told him a week ago because I knew certain events and occurrences that happened that had not so I made a mistake. Unfortunately, your Aunt Abigail heard me and now she has Trask searching for me to try me as a witch along with poor Phyllis Wycke.” Victoria had followed Jeremiah down the steps after hearing Josette sobbing in her room.

She had attempted to get Josette to open the door and was rebuffed and had horrible words flung at her through the door by Josette. Jeremiah turned and started towards Victoria to be passed by Barnabas. “Come my dear sit by the fire, you had a horrible ordeal earlier and should have been resting.” 

Quentin, Elliott and Barnabas huddled around her but her gaze traveled to Jeremiah. “I am sorry this has disrupted your home Jeremiah, I would rather have left and never returned had it not been for the fact I am here to prevent something horrible from happening and now Barnabas tells me they, that Gentleman whom he referred to as a cousin Quentin Collins and Ben, only I don’t think it is Ben.” She looked expectantly at the man she knew as Ben Stokes.

“it is Elliott Stokes my dear, Ben great many grandson and a Professor for Collinsport University, we meet once you have returned to your time. But I have grown to love and respect you as another daughter to me in the past three years we have grown close, just as you and Barnabas have grown close enough to be planning your wedding until an unfortunate set of circumstances interfered with your wedding.” 

Jeremiah was astonished that such a thing could occur and to hear Ben speaking so astutely was overwhelming to say the least. He had thought that poor simple Ben could never speak so correctly and with such a distinguished tone to his voice. “I must admit this is very hard for me to comprehend but as you are all here apparently it is possible in the future. He turned his hungry gaze upon Victoria dressed so pristinely in her white night gown and matching robe. Her hair comb over her shoulder laid like a dark luxurious cape down her back. 

Barnabas immediately noted his Uncle had fallen in love with his fiancé and he would be damned if his Uncle would take from him what he had a right to claim in his new time. “Are you quite all right my dear? Barnabas said he had bruised you up and scratched you horribly.” 

Vicki flushed lifting the skirt to show the large bruise along her ankle up her leg, “Unfortunately it goes all the way up and there is a large abrasion on my back where he slammed me into the rock over hang.” Vicki lifted her hair and from her neck to her shoulder disappearing under the covering of her clothing he could see an angry rock burn along her neck. “Then there is the large lump on the back of my head which gave me a slight head ache.”

Elliott frowned, “He slammed your head into the rock and you have a headache?” He stepped forward and gently ran expert fingers over the large swelling. “Oh dear you very well could have a concussion my dear. You should not sleep for at least another ten hours and should be monitored.” He gazed into her eyes and noted her pupils were slightly pinpoint. “Are you having light sensitivity?” 

Jeremiah stepped forward and bent on a knee in front of her. Taking her hand into his he spoke softly, “As long as I live, I shall not allow that man near you again.” Lifting her hand to kiss her palm. The action caused a slight gasp to escape Josette who had come down the stairs to peer over at the men gathered around Victoria.

Turning all eyes pinned the lovely young woman to the open doorway. “So, you have taken my husband and Barnabas from me! I cannot live with out you my love. I cannot live without the love we share!” Josette turned and rushed from the room in tears. Jeremiah had turned and started towards his wife when Vicki passed him.

“We must stop her, she is heading to Widows Hill! We cannot let her jump!” Vicki turned noting that Barnabas was already running past her and out the door running as he could following the distraught lovely French bride of his Uncle. 

“JOSETTE! STOP!” Quentin, and Jeremiah ran past Victoria who was moving as fast as she could until she felt a sudden wave of dizziness over come her and she slumped to the ground unconscious. Elliott rushed to Vicki’s side and sighed, bending he carefully gathered her to his chest and held her close while watching the three man run after the poor distraught woman going to Widows Hill.

Lifting Victoria, Elliott walked back into Collinwood and placed her on the sofa. “I fear my dear, I must return Ben to his body and bring Julia back to help me with you. Please do not die, I need you to save my life in the future.” Ben felt his body lightened his mind cleared and then he blinked and looked down at Victoria. 

“You must be pretty important Miss Winters for so many to want to help and save you.” Ben stooped and lifted Vicki and carried her out of the house to the stables where he loaded her into a wagon and then hitched the horses to the wagon. Once he mounted the wagon he headed the horses towards the road that would take them to the old house. “Miss Winters whatever you do don’t die. We have to wait for help to come back from the future.” 

Widow’s Hill 1795

Josette stood poised on the edge of the cliff. Barnabas stood behind her. “Please Josette do not do this! Come to me, so we can continue our love. I only told that to Miss Winters because she needed to hear it from someone other than Trask.” Even to his ears that sounded hollow. Josette turned to face him with open defiance. 

“I had our baby Barnabas, I gave up our Baby and then I came here hoping that I could be with you and was married to Jeremiah. Now I have nothing because of Miss Winters. Let this weigh on your head from this day forward Barnabas! It is you that caused this death! It is you that broke my body and my heart.” With those words uttered she lay backwards and started to fall when she felt her body caught up and held close to Quentin’s body. 

He had managed to navigate around to the path on the right of the hill and had watched her as she began to fall, reaching forward he was able to grab her wrist and jerk her back to his chest and hold her close. “Not tonight my dear, you surely realize that you would alter history and could have easily been the end to the Collins family.” He stroked her hair from her face and looked down in her pain filled eyes now swimming with tears. “Surely, as a good catholic girl you would have condemned your soul to purgatory for committing suicide.” 

Jeremiah stepped up next to Quentin and gently took her into his arms. “I am your husband as such I should demand satisfaction from Barnabas for what he has done but I know that a heart cannot choose whom it loves and your heart loves Barnabas. Where my heart Josette is torn between you and Victoria. He very well may demand satisfaction from me. You see Victoria is from the future and is here to prevent a horrible wrong>”

He held her close and could feel her tremble to his touch. Pulling her into his chest he gently cradled her head to his left cheek. “But Jeremiah you love her and I love Barnabas it is impossible for us to find the love we both need and share for one another.” She cried softly into his shoulder lowering her chin to his chest. 

“It is impossible but Victoria does not belong to this time and neither does that Barnabas, he has come from the future to protect Victoria from Trask who apparently has kidnapped her in the future and has taken her somewhere. Now we must allow them to do what they came to do so we can have our lives back and not alter history.” 

His voice held tenderness but his heart was breaking because he knew he had to give up Victoria. Though his heart was breaking with the thought of letting her go, he held to the woman that had just confessed to having had an affair with his nephew since before their marriage. That she had even had a child by him and had given it up for adoption. Now she was in the throws of hysterics and threatening to go into vapors.

Lifting her up Jeremiah turned to peer at his nephew and Duke Henri or was it Quentin. “I am taking her back to our room. I am sure you have other business to attend we can discuss this further later. I would suggest instead of Joshua to observe Trasks debauchery, why not contact Judge Temple. He would make a far better witness to the man’s faults than Joshua.” With that said, Jeremiah turned with Josette held close and walked back towards Collinwood holding the limp form of his wife.

Barnabas had to admire his Uncle at that time he showed more courage over a situation that would have normally called for justice and satisfaction by dueling. Instead Jeremiah took the woman he married and not the one he wanted and left him with Quentin. “Allow him time to calm his wife. We have to get to the old house and check on Trask and it is growing closer to the time that Bradford will attack you and bring you over to the darkness of your new life.”

“I just wished I did not have to go through that part of this return. I know what he will do and I do not relish that I am going to become what I was.” Barnabas’ voice was filled with remorse and anxiety. “It will be very difficult for me to allow that to happen.”

Quentin sighed deeply looked at his cousin and shook his head. “Then you risk loosing Victoria forever. You will never come to the 20th century and will die in this century when she returns you will loose her.” 

Barnabas sighed deeply, “Unless I can convince her to stay here and be my wife in this time.” 

“You cannot do hat dear boy, it would alter too much and it would cause the current family to not exist at all.” Elliott stepped forward from the pathway. “You both must join me back at the old house, I fear Victoria may have a concussion and I had to go back and bring Julia to the old house along with Eric, they have come in transcendence form and will only be here for a short time. “

Upon hearing that Victoria was injured Barnabas was the first to start off towards the old house, followed by Elliott and Quentin. 

Old House Josette’s Room

Julia stood over Vicki, she looked at her eyes and then felt her head and sighed turning she looked anxiously at Eric. “I cannot tell without an x-ray to know if she is bleeding in the brain or not. We really should monitor her and keep her awake the rest of the night.” Julia stood dressed elegantly in a gown of French make, the soft outline of her baby bump could be seen when she turned sideways. Eric stepped past her to sit on Vicki’s bed gently he patted her face.

“Vicki, wake up my dear, we need you to stay awake. Open your eyes.” He watched her anxiously then noticed the flicker of her eyelashes as the fluttered and then opened. She looked curiously at the white haired man at her side. 

“Dr. Lang?” She was curious as to why he was there then she saw Julia. “Oh my goodness this must be serious if the Professor has brought you two here.” She tried to sit up and felt a wave of dizziness over take her and fell back against her pillow. “OH dear that was a mistake.” She spoke softly closing her eyes. 

“Tell me Vicki are you feeling sick to your stomach? Are you suffering from double vision? Do you have a horrible headache?” Julie stepped next to Eric with concern edging her face. 

Vicki opened her eyes and focused on the portrait over the fireplace. “No double vision. I do feel a little nauseated, and the only part of my head that is hurting rather horridly is where I hit it. There is a nice lump there.” She gingerly moved her hand over the lump. “Otherwise no other problems.”

Julia gave a sigh of relief. “No brain bleeds and she is just suffering a slight concussion.” She rubbed Eric’s shoulder then turned at the entrance of Barnabas who rushed into the room. 

“Victoria! Please tell me it is not serious Eric, Julia?” He turned his gaze from Victoria to his two friends. 

Eric stood wrapping a protective arm around his wife’s waist. “It is a minor concussion Barnabas nothing more.” Looking over at the oddly dressed Elliott and Quentin he nodded to them both. “We have done all we can here Elliott, now if you will excuse us we will rejoin our bodies back in 1969.” He turned patted Vicki’s shoulder. “I look forward to having to you back soon my dear, we have wonderful news to share with you.”

She watched Julia and Eric disappear out of the door and found this all so confusing. That they were here with her in this time. She at least no longer felt vulnerable or alone but was curious as to why they were there. She began to think about what Eric had said, he was anxious to get her back to 1969? But it was 1966 in her time when she was in the 20th century. 

Vicki was sure she understood him say 1969, that was three years from when she left Collinwood and in that three years she and Barnabas must have grown closer, since Burke’s death. Closing her eyes she sighed deeply, this was really overwhelming her. Elliott dressed as Ben stepped more fully into the room. 

“I think we need to set up the situation here, and summon Trask then we will summon our demon. Once we have Trask and the Demon in the same room, we will need to get this Judge that Jeremiah spoke of and Barnabas you are going to be the one to fetch the Judge.” 

Barnabas nodded, “Judge Temple will be the best to witness his despicable ways of dealing with alleged witches. Elliott, will the demon succubus look like Victoria? I do not wish Victoria placed in danger.” 

Elliott smiled, “The succubus will take on the characteristics of the male’s desires and as we know that Trask wishes Victoria, of course it will be a tricky situation to maintain control over him. To Trask the succubus shall look like Victoria to us we shall see it in its true form unless it takes an unhealthy interest in one of us. Then it will use of Trask and try to target us.” 

“Is there any way to prevent that from happening?” Quentin was anxious over this bit of information. “ I mean I do not relish having to fend off a succubus to take from me something I do not have in this body. If we have to content with a succubus, I would rather just kill Trask. We do not need to complicate this situation.”

Elliott shook his head. “Not a real option to just kill him, otherwise he will take Victoria and torture her until Barnabas rescues her and then kills him. Then we have the situation we are in right now. Victoria missing in another part of time and needing our help.” 

This truly frightened Vicki hearing this. “He comes to Collinwood and kidnaps me and I get lost in time again?” She had actually looked like she would faint. Barnabas rushed to her side sitting on the edge of the bed.

“I will do all I can to prevent this from happening.” Turning to Quentin he sighed deeply, “I suggest that I shall bring the Judge, while you and Elliott find a simple protection spell to avert the demon’s interest in either of us.” He watched Elliott smile.

“Of course we could easily use a protection spell and enchant an object to hold on our bodies while the demon is in our presence. I can assure you she will wish to consume as many as she can because her desires are insatiable.” 

1969   
Old House Cellar

Julia and Eric sat eyes closed sitting bolt upright in the middle of the room with Elliott, Quentin, and Barnabas, their bodies motionless. In ethereal form Julia and Eric stepped through the walls and walked to their bodies remerging their bodies together with their ethereal souls they opened their eyes turned and smiled. “We made it back now let us hope that the other three are successful and we have an end to put to this whole mess.” Eric smiled reached for Julia’s hand and squeezed it. 

“Shall we sit a little long and wait to see if they return successful from their experiment?” Julia asked her voice holding hope and a softness that Eric had not noticed before.

“if you wish my love, I will do whatever you wish as long as you are safe and . . . “ He reached his hand and placed his palm flat over her stomach. “Junior is unharmed.” He smiled and it melted Julia’s heart. Placing her hand over his she nodded.

“It is as you wish my dearest Elliott, we will wait and see what the outcome shall be. We know time moves differently from the plainer worlds. We should know the outcome shortly.” 

(Collinsport)  
The Eagle’s Nest Tavern  
1795

Reverend Trask sat on the edge of his single bed and closed his eyes. “God, I know you mean me to search out the evil and destroy it. I only ask you bring me to Victoria Winters so I might save her soul and eternal damnation by your divine touch through me!” From the air around him he heard a voice call out to him.

“Trask! Trask come to the Old House at Collinwood there you will find what you seek, you shall have your heart’s desire and the ends to the means you have sought, come to the old house at Collinwood!” The voice was eerily spectral and sounded so sure that Trask felt he was being given the highest honor a holy man could get, an answer to his prayer through the voice of his guardian angel. 

“Yes! I will obey my lord, I will obey.” He slapped his hands together and smiled a devilishly evil smile, turning he drug his cape over his shoulders, lifted his tri corn and turned to peer up to the ceiling. “I knew you would answer my prayer, thank you.” Just the thought of finally having what he had wanted he was already excited and could feel his desires growing stronger with each step he took going out the door and mounting up on his horse. This night was finally going to let him have what he deserved, the very pure and very delectable Victoria Winters. 

1845  
Seaview Cottage

Victoria paced to the window and looked out to the sea below, she had loved this house at one time even thought that she and Burke would share this as their house after they married. Now she was a prisoner in the house she had fallen in love with so long ago. Closing her eyes she searched for Barnabas, she was connected to him in this century as well in the other century through the bite he had inflicted on her. They had shared the destructive cell between each other from this time. Though she would not fall under his thrall she would sense him and have a mental connection to each other. “Barnabas can you feel me? Can you hear me?” She waited.

The sense she held for him and the connection was weak but it was there and she could feel his thoughts. “Victoria!. . . Hold hope . . .we . . . are going to rescue you soon.” There was a pause and then she heard him again, stronger this time. “Do you know where they have taken you?” 

“Yes, I am in the house by the sea about a mile from Collinwood, the house is called Seaview.” She knew this cottage as Seaview she hoped that the others knew it as Seaview. 

“Quentin knows the house well, it belonged to his cousin that went to sea and was lost. I want you to stay calm do not allow Petofi to know we are coming to the rescue, he will try to stop us with what we are planning.” Then his voice was cut off and so was the connection. She sighed but for the first time since her arrival here she had hope, help was on the way.

Another part of her was feeling unsettled and the air around her was filled with static and then she felt her world shift. Feeling sick to her stomach she closed her eyes and when she opened them she was standing in the center of the room and it was empty of furnishings. The house held a disused smell to it and she felt sick to her stomach. Turning around she noticed the skyline had changed and dusk was upon her. Walking to the door she tried the handled and found it was unlocked; opening the door she stepped into the hallway and looked around.

The house had been deserted and disused for sometime. “What is going on?” She looked around at the growing long shadows. Slowly she walked down the hallway to the stairs and paused, taking a deep breath she began her descent to the main floor and the foyer. Stopping she turned hearing a noise behind her and with a gasp she stepped back peering up at a huge hulking form standing in the center of the room.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

1845

Quentin entered the front doors, clutched in his hand a perfect egg shaped stone of the purest blue held within his hand. Stepping more fully into the drawing room he noted that Barnabas has set up a table in the center of the room and seated at the table was Angelique, Evan and Barnabas. Notably absent was Evan's alleged brother Peter. "One of us is missing. May I inquire as to why?" His gaze shifted over those seated at the table.

Angelique hungrily eyed the large egg shaped stone in his hand. "Simply because he does not like my brother he has decided to return home to Evans' house." She smiled but her gaze never left the stone he held in his hand. Holding out her delicate white hand with carefully groomed long nails she curled her hand motioning for him to hand over the stone.

"I take it Evan she knows more of the powers of this stone or how to use it than you?" Quentin gently laid the cold stone into the palm of her hand and watched her eyes light up with excitement. She was practically orgasmic with the receiving of the stone.

"Yes, actually she has had practice at this longer than I Quentin, that is how we managed to know one another and my brother met her." Barnabas did not like this man and he was doing the best he could to keep from ripping out Angelique's throat. He did not trust her but she was his only hope.

Barnabas felt it a hint of a voice trying to reach out to him. "I feel her, I sense her voice, she is trying to contact me." Barnabas anxiously sat forward cocking his head and closing his eyes. Silently he replied. "Victoria!. . . Hold hope . . .we . . . are going to rescue you soon." Opening his eyes he smiled. "I have contacted her, I told her to hold on to hope we are going to rescue her. I need quiet so I can push out a little stronger to try and reassure her we are doing everything we can to bring her home." For Victoriathere was a momentary pause in their conversation. When she heard him again, it was in a stronger voice in her mind. "Do you know where they have taken you?"

He listened carefully and frowned as she replied he opened his eyes and looked at those in the room "She says she is about a mile from Collinwood in a house by the sea that she knows as Seaview, I have not heard of such a place."

Quentin smiled, "I know it well, its not far from Collinwood and faces the seaboard side, it belonged to my cousin who lost his wife and then went to search for treasure and was lost as sea. Barnabas nodded and closed his eyes, again he forced his mind out. Speaking to her through their telepathy he frowned when the connection to her was immediately cut off as he reassured her they knew where she was.

Opening his eyes he looked at the smile on Angelique's face. She had held the eye of Pandora in her hand and had been whispering words and passing her hand over the egg. Then she spoke out loud, "Take what was held and return it to the time before. Transport the image of my mind to the time before her time!"

Barnabas stood abruptly knocking his chair backwards. "NO! What have you done you bitch!" He lunged at Angelique with his hands around her throat knocking her from her chair to the floor. The stone fell from her hands and in that moment, Victoria was transported to the year 2023. Leaving the residence of Seaview to find her self standing in an old disused house with a large black mass standing before her. Gasping softly she fell back against the wall as the figure stepped into view.

"Mother?" The voice was more refined and cultured but a familiar one. The large hand reached behind her and snapped on a light and the room came to life with Adam with greying temples, and a scar free face, standing in a three-piece suit. "How is this possible you have not aged at all!" He reached forward to cup her cheek in his soft hand and smile into her befuddled and confused gaze.

"Adam! You changed? Your scars are gone and your vocabulary has increased to that of a learned and distinguished looking man." She began to tear up looking at the large man now handsome and restored to a more normal look. "You are so handsome and look you have grey hair." She gently touched the temple letting her fingers run through the soft grey hairs.

"They said you went missing over forty three years ago mother. Where did you go? You missed out on so much. I am married with grown children. Barnabas was so distraught he moved back to England a broken hearted man because you were gone." He gently traced a large fingertip over her face. His eyes fixed to her standing before him.

"Forty-three years? I have been gone for that long?" She was incredulous. She watched him nod then gather her close to his chest and hold onto her. In that moment once again Vicki felt the hair on her arms stand up as the static built around her and she was once again thrust through time and space to find herself standing in the center of her bedroom at Collinwood wearing the wedding dress that Elizabeth had hoped she would wear to marry Barnabas.

"What is going on?" she let out a soft breath and turned to the sound of a door opening behind her.

"I found it darling, Naomi's veil, it will go perfectly with the dress and may I say how lovely you look, you remind me of myself when I married Carolyn's father." She draped the veil over her head and lifted it to let it fall gracefully around her body. "You really must show Carolyn." She stepped forward and placed a motherly kiss on her forehead.

Vicki stepped back and shook her head and buried her face into her hands. "What is going on!" She whispered and once again felt the shift of time and space as she found herself now standing in the foyer of Collinwood wearing Naomi's veil and Elizabeth's dress.. The door opened and Jeremiah stepped through the door to peer at her in astonishment. "May I help you?" He was stunned seeing a beautiful woman in a white wedding gown of unusual make standing before his half finished house.

Vicki fell back against the grand staircase shaking her head. "Have I gone mad? What is going on?" Then before Jeremiah could answer his figure shimmered and disappeared and Vicki found herself in a black void of nothingness. The air around her cool and the whispering voices from the past, the future, and the present were dancing around her making her feel she would surely die if she would not get out of this place. Then it happened again and she was standing in the center of the old house Drawing Room dressed in Liz's wedding dress looking confused and exhausted.

Sitting at a table was Magda, Sandor, Julianka, Barnabas, Quentin and Evan Hanley. Angelique was gagged and tied to a chair and looking shocked to see Victoria Winters in a wedding dress appear in the room. Putting her fingertips to her face she turned as Barnabas rushed to her side holding onto a large blue stone. "Quickly, Victoria hold the stone it will stabilize you from any more transitions." He pressed the stone into her hand, closing his hand over hers.

The sensation of a thousand ants crawling through her body and the disorientation was beginning to clear. Exhausted she collapsed into Barnabas arms with a softly uttered gasp. Barnabas swept her up in his arms. "Someone summon a doctor! I will take her to her room and whatever you do, do not take that gag off of that woman!"

Magda smirked, "Not to worry, she will do no more harm in this house again. I am about to send her back to her dark master who I am sure will not be pleased she has failed her newest assignment. Julianka, come we have much to do." Sandor jerked Angelique up from her chair and forced her down the hallway towards the basement. The only sounds heard from Angelique were uttered derogatory curses at being manhandled and Sandor was pretty sure she was threatening him

"Shut up witch, you are lucky we send you back in one piece." He shoved her down the stairs and out of sight. Magda and Julianka turned to look at Evan together forming a triangle with their index fingers and thumb together they began to speak in their native tongue, "Vă trimite înapoi la cel care susține sufletul nevrednic și nepocăit. Du-te la demonul întunericului, du-te unde ți-e locul și nu arată fața ta în această casă, din nou, l-am comanda pentru țiganii din tribul românești. Călătorie înapoi la cel care te nascut."

Quentin knew the language and translated the words in his mind, "We send you back to he who claims your unworthy and unrepentant soul. Go to the darkness demon, go where you belong and do not show your face in this house again, we command it for the gypsies of the Romanian tribe. Travel back to he who birthed you!" As they completed their chant Evan's body began to burst into flames and he screamed out in terror and pain.

"NO! NO!" He was gone in a puff of smoke with the smell of brimstone and sulfur filling the air. Quentin chuckled seeing Evan vanquished from the old house and the presence of the gypsies. Clapping his hand he stood and bowed to the two women. Magda snarled and then spit where Evan had sat. Julianka did the same.

"You are so smug Quentin, you do not take care of Jenny I put the evil eye on you next time. Come we need to make sure Miss Victoria is going to be well." Magda walked to the stairs and noticed that Quentin was now eying Julianka. "You take care Quentin Collins she belong to Romano tribe, they are the only ones that can hurt Petofi, you don wan to upset Julianka's father he is King of all tribes he is Johnny Romano, you stay away from Julianka and take care of Jenny!" Magda left Quentin looking over Julianka.

"So, you are the famous Johnny Romano's daughter?" He said it as a question but it sounded more as a statement.

"I am, and I am going to my Aunt Magda now, she is right you need to take care of Jenny, why she chose you a gorger over one of her own we will always find it a mystery." Julianka turned and followed her Aunt up the stares to leave Quentin chuckling softly watching her skirts disappear down the hallway. Turning he walked to the basement door.

Where Sandor met him. "Where you go Quentin? Nothing in there to interest you. She is gone the same place her brother went." Sandor blocked his entrance to the cellar.

"Barnabas?" He was curious he thought she was supposed to be Barnabas' sister.

"No the male witch that Julianka and Magda sent back to his maker. She is gone to him who claimed her soul and she is not happy. She never was a sister to Barnabas; she was a witch with dark and evil intentions and powers that would have hurt Miss Victoria. So, you don't need to worry no more about her she is gone, but beware of the one that claimed to be the male witch's brother, he is an undead creature with a powerful thirst for blood and hatred for Mr. Barnabas."

This caught his attention. "Why do you say that, why does he hate Barnabas?" Quentin finally was going to have some of his answers.

"Because Barnabas took what he wanted and now he wants what Barnabas wants and he will hurt Miss Victoria if he can. You go take care of our Jenny so Magda and I can shake the dust of this place from our feet." Sandor pushed past Quentin and headed up the stairs.

Quentin stood in the foyer with a playful smile edging his lips, he dearly wanted to be there to see Petofi's face when he discovered Victoria was gone. But then he might try to take Quentin's body again and he could not allow that. Not at this time, because he had another mystery the man claiming to be Evan's brother, was a vampire. This was getting more and more intriguing by the moment and he wanted his answers and he too wanted what Barnabas had, he wanted Victoria.

1795

The Old House Josette's Bedroom

Victoria lay sleeping soundly the sleep of the drugged on the bed. Her mind was filled with various voices as she drifted on a sea of tranquil dreams. Once voice was insistent that she have a protection spell placed on her. The other voice was calming and cultured. "You need to relax Barnabas, Trask will be lured to your bedchamber where we need to go and summon the succubus now I feel Trask will be arriving soon. You should be on your way to find Judge Temple."

The three men turned and left Victoria to rest peacefully in the room and secured the door locking it behind them. Trask, Quentin, and Barnabas walked down the hallway to Barnabas' room. Pausing outside his door he frowned, "I will leave shortly to bring Judge Temple here, I will bring him in by one of the secret passages that connect my room from the cellar below, you two should not be present when Temple witnesses Trask cavorting with the demon. He will know something is wrong if you two are in the room when he spies on Trask."

Elliott smiled, "Not to worry dear boy, the protection spell I have placed on Quentin and on you as well as myself is also a shielding spell. Once you open the secret panel and allow the Judge to witness Trask caught in the throws of passion with the demon, he shall see what we want him to see, Trask having wild abandoned sex with a horrible looking female demon, while Trask will believe he is having sex with Victoria. The spell protects us from the demon and shields our presence, although I do not relish the thought of seeing Trask involved sexually with the succubus it must be done to ensure he is snared in her clutches."

Barnabas nodded slowly, "Then shall we begin to summon the demon?"

From downstairs they heard the door opened and a strong clear voice called out. "I know you are here Victoria Winters! Show yourself!"

Quentin turned to Elliott and together they began to chant softly, "We summon the darkness and the passionate, we summon the need of one that desires and wants to bond and mate with one to feel the power of the soul and the life essences of the one that seeks another. Come forth now!"

Barnabas discretely let himself out of the room and began his part of the plan by heading to Judge Robert Temple's house. Quentin and Elliott stepped into the darkest corner of the room and waited. Trask tried the doors until he came to the one that had been Barnabas' bedroom. In the center of the room a soft light began to pulse and grow. When Trask open the door, he saw a beautiful dark haired woman standing in a pure white gown of soft silken texture, her features wavered as she looked at Trask and her face became that of Victoria Winters. "You seek me Reverend?" Her voice was the voice of Victoria and she sounded frightened her eyes wide with fear and her manner of one of purity.

"Down on your knees woman, give over your soul to God! He demands you to be indoctrinated into the fold of the holy and forgiving. Do you give up the ways of the darkness and evilness that surely must surround you?" He was so caught up he did not notice the sly and calculating look that had come over the eyes of the woman he perceived was Victoria Winters now the smile which was triumph but mistaken for demure.

"Yes, I give myself over to your capable and forgiving hands. I ask you to take me and make me over in the image you would have me be." She had read his mind and saw how much he wanted to ravish her as a virgin she shifted her form to that of a virginal sacrifice for his wanton needs and lascivious ways. He approached her and slapped her across the face and forced her to the ground on her knees.

"Then give yourself over to my capable hands and submit to my demands and needs now." He smiled his excitement over this triumph was beginning to show itself by the hardening of his sex. She could sense his needs and she smiled and crawled up his legs allowing her hands to caress every inch of his body as she drew herself up and pressed into his body.

"Take me! I am yours!" She slid her hand behind his neck and began to drag his face down so she could capture his lips. She kissed him deeply and felt his hands crawl up her body to rip the gown from her body and throw her back on the bed. She fell back her legs sliding wide inviting him to take her. Trask could not believe his luck and he laughed.

"You are a sultry wench I always thought that pure attitude was all a game. Now I will make you mine and make you wish for me and beg for me all the time!"

Elliott and Quentin watched Trask with the demon, which was a hideous thing to witness in her natural form. Her eyes were white edged with red rims. Her mouth bisected to open up into he jawline where three rows of sharp teeth could be seen. Her tongue was long and snake like and as she crawled on top of Trask, from her shoulder bones she sprouted black rubbery wings. From the center of her head two long gnarled horns began to sprout and grow so they looked more like bull horns. Her breasts hung low over her stomach and her hair was white and stringy.

"We summoned an ancient one it appears Professor." Quentin spoke softly only to have Elliott raise his hand and shake his head. When Quentin had spoke she had paused in her antics with Trask to sniff the air and turn to peer around the room. Quentin held his breath as she searched the room having held Trask in her thrall she released him.

"Who is here?" She demanded. "Show yourself now!" She looked to the corner where Quentin and Elliott stood and began to walk there when another noise caught her attention. Turning she saw a panel near the fireplace slid shut. Barnabas had quickly allowed the Judge to see Trask cavorting in a sexual liaison with what all could see was a demon. Barnabas put his fingertips to his lips and pulled the judge back.

Hurrying him back down the hallway to the cellar he pulled him along until they were far enough a way to not be detected. "Did you see enough?" Barnabas paused to look expectantly into the gaze of the Judge, who appeared to be repulsed by what he had just witnessed.

"I have seen more than enough to know the man cavorts with the darkness more than he preaches, I shall issue a warrant for his arrest first thing in the morning." Judge Temple was a simple man with a brilliant mind for the newly formed laws and government of this land. "You may rest assure Mr. Collins the man will be tried and found guilty and hanged for his actions. I cannot thank you enough for bringing this to light. I never liked him or his methods of seeking out alleged witches when he himself has fornicated with a demoness!"

Barnabas smiled, perhaps this would stop from what happened in the future, putting Trask in the same position he had put countless other females was a fitting end to his illustrious if not tainted career as a witch hunter. "Thank you Judge Temple, I shall have my man take you home. Just follow this pathway to three doors, take the center door and it will bring you out at the beach head where Amos is waiting for you."

He watched the Judge disappear down the tunnel and waited for the sound of the closing door before he took the second tunnel to Josette's room. He waited for Elliott and Quentin while sitting on Victoria's bed he gently caressed her face. "Soon, we will have you back where you belong and we shall continue to plan our wedding."

Elliott and Quentin waited for the female succubus demon finish drinking Trasks life essence not draining him entirely leaving him as a husk, she had rather enjoyed her romp with him, he was above average as far as men from this time would go. Sliding by his now unconscious body she laughed softly stepped to the center of the room. "I have marked you as belonging to me from this day forward Reverend, you belong to me now body and soul."

With a soft flash of light she disappeared from the room. Quentin was ready to leave he had seen more than he wanted but Elliott motioned for him to stand still and wait. After about five minutes Elliott nodded, "We can go to Josette's room now. We had to wait for the residual power to dissipate. Had we moved too soon she would have been alerted we were in the room and she would have come back for us. Now shall we dear boy?"

The two men walked with an air of revulsion but satisfaction down the hallway. Unlocking the door to Josette's room they both stepped in to see Barnabas sitting beside Victoria on the bed. He held a look of concern as he gently stroked her face and hair from her face. "Is it done?" He asked softly. Then glanced up at his two companions.

"Yes, he is now and forever connected to the succubus, even if he wanted to come after Victoria he will be stopped by the demon. She will not allow him to be with any other but her from this day forward." Elliott stepped to the bedside looked down at Barnabas.

"What happens now Professor?" Barnabas looked up at Professor Stokes and Quentin. His fingers gently tracing Vicki's features looking at the delicate set of her jawline and her pert nose.

"We go back and see if we reversed what happened. I believe with what happened tonight, it will make anything that happened in any other timeline slide back to before Victoria arrived. The only timeline that will not be affected will be her first and second visit to the past. There might be residual memories for you of her in another timeline but for the most part time should have reset itself. The only difference is that you will not need to rescue her from Trask here after you change. She will simply transition back to as she was."

"We hope that is what happens right Professor?" Barnabas leaned over and placed a light chaste kiss on her lips then stood back. "I suppose now we return to see if the timeline has been reset correct?"

Quentin smiled, "Well I for one will be glad to get back to my creature comforts. These clothes though grand and ostentatious are far to uncomfortable for my comfort." He pulled on the cravat and smiled at Barnabas. "I know you like them but give me my three piece suit."

The three men turned to leave the room, Barnabas paused for a moment to look back at Victoria, then sighed and closed his eyes. "Please make this right, please let her be in our timeline." Turning he followed Elliott and Quentin down the stairs and to the cellar. Finding some crates they all sat and closed their eyes, Slowly one by one they each exited the body they had taken. As their consciousness left the body, the three men, Henri, Ben, and Barnabas fell unconscious to the floor.

1969

The Old House Cellar

Just as Julia and Eric had done, Elliott, Barnabas, and Quentin moved ethereally through the walls to slowly merge their consciousness back into their own bodies. Opening their eyes they looked around and saw Eric and Julia standing and waiting by the open archway. "Well?" Julia asked and waited for them to orient themselves back to their bodies.

"We hope we set the timeline right. We must go and see if Victoria is at Collinwood. Gentlemen shall we?" Elliott stood and walked to the stairs leading to the front foyer. Barnabas, Quentin, Eric, and Julia followed. As they exited the basement the front door opened and all eyes fixed to the figure in the doorway. Victoria laughed uneasily and spoke softly.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" She flushed seeing them look relieved it was her and Barnabas was the first to rush forward to gather her to him.

"No my dear you did absolutely nothing wrong. YOU did everything right." He bent her back and kissed her deeply. She hesitated then returned the passion of his kiss then pressed against his chest.

"Barnabas? What is going on?" She looked embarrassed by his public display of passion in front of so many.

"I am happy to have you back here where you belong my dear. So very happy."

"I see, well um mother sent me down to tell you we have a guest at Collinwood and she wants you to come and meet him. Apparently he is a member of the family from Monrovia and came calling and wanted to meet the Collins family since his mother was a Collins and married into the Lindbergh family."

They all paused to look at one another and then Barnabas asked, "By any chance is this man's name Grand Duke Henri?" he watched her face light up and she nodded.

"Yes it is and he looks exactly like an older version of you Quentin. He is very distinguished and apparently he is a Grand Duke or something like that."

Elliott, Quentin, and Barnabas sighed deeply one timeline restored and now another changed. "I suppose we need to find out what this is about dear boy, shall we go to Collinwood?" Elliott was the first to recover. Turning he headed to the door pausing to wait for the others to join him.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Collinwood 1968  
Drawing Room

Victoria led them all to the foyer; the approaching party noted that the drawing room doors were open. Standing with his back to the foyer facing Elizabeth was a tall slender man of impeccable dress and bearing. Elizabeth watched the approach and smiled. “Oh dear cousin Henri, I want you to meet the rest of the family. Victoria darling please bring everyone in.” Elizabeth stepped around the man and as she did he slowly turned and Quentin of all the party was the most thunderstruck.

“Grand Duke Henri Limburg?” He stepped forward and saw what he would look like if he were to be allowed to age. His head was full of white thick hair that lay groomed impeccably over his forehead. The eyes were as blue as Quentin’s and the wrinkles softly accented the edge of his eyes and Quentin could tell by the deep set of the cheek lines he smiled more than frowned. It was the eyes that let Quentin know he had met himself in the future. They were as full of mischief as his own and there was no doubt he had to be a Collins the blood ties were strong in this man to Quentin. 

Quentin held out his hand and smiled broadly, “Quentin Collins and may I say it is a pleasure to meet you!” The older version of Quentin stepped forward and took his hand in his and smiled broadly.

“I would know you any where, you remind me of my dear son Rudolph we called him Rudy had he lived he would be as you are today.” There was just a hint of an Austrian accent and the sound of suppressed melancholy. 

Elizabeth was the first to respond, “Oh I am so sorry to hear your son passed cousin Henri, you have our sympathy. Was it a recent death?” Elizabeth had placed a tender hand on his shoulder and sincerely offered her condolences. She watched him compose himself something that must have been bred into him since birth as a nobleman.

“A terrorist attack on one of our embassies where he was stationed in our country’s service. It was a tragic loss and one that was mourned by the entire state. Thank you cousin Elizabeth.” He took her hand patted it and then raised it to his lips to place a light kiss on her hand. “Now dear cousin, who are the rest of these delightful people. I have just been reintroduced to my cousin Quentin, and of course there is the very lovely and very sweet Victoria.” He shifted his body to turn and peer at the others in the room. 

Elizabeth looked at the hand still being held and now tucked into the crook of her cousin’s arm. “Victoria would you do the honor of presenting everyone to our newest found member of the family.” She smiled graciously at Vicki awaiting her to make the introductions.

Victoria turned looking first to Elliott Stokes, “Well Henri, this is our very dear and learned friend and an extended member of our family Professor Elliott Stokes.” Elliott stepped forward, clicked his heels together and did a proper Euro-styled bow from the waist. 

“Grand Duke Henri Limburg, it is a pleasure to meet you. I have enjoyed the fine institutions of your country on many occasions especially during World War II.” He extended his hand to Henri smiling broadly allowing his monocle to drop from his eye.

Henri stepped forward releasing his hold on Elizabeth. Taking his hand he spoke to Elliott first in German, then French and finally for those present in English. “Es ist eine Freude, endlich treffen die sehr vornehm und sehr gut renommierten Professor Stokes, gehört mir die Ehre.”

“Il est un plaisir de rencontrer enfin la très distingué et très renommé professeur Stokes, l'honneur est pour moi.”

“It is a pleasure to finally meet the very distinguished and very well renowned Professor Stokes, the honor is mine.” In return he bowed slightly while holding Elliott’s hand and clicked his heels together.

“Interesting I would have thought you would have greeted me in Luxemburgish but I am pleased to see you are a true monarch to your domain. However I thought you were known as Prince Jean Paul.” Stokes smiled as he released the hand of the Grand Duke.

“Actually, my full name is Jean Paul Henri Felix Gabriel Guillamume I just preferred the name Henri. It was one of the names that had been given to my ancestor that was related to the Collins family by marriage.” He turned to smile seeing Julia holding close to Eric’s arm. “And this charming lovely lady?” Releasing Elliott’s hand he turned and walked to Julia, noting the man at her side was a slender male with piercing blue eyes and a head of white hair such as his. 

Victoria stepped forward, “Henri, this is Mr. and Mrs. Lang, Eric and Julia both are medical doctors and scientists with varied fields of interests. Eric and Julia this is Henri Limburg.” 

Henri reached for Julia’s hand and kissed it gently and smiled noting that she was with child. “My dear Doctor Lang, it is an honor to meet a woman who has taken the field of medicine as her endeavor for a life’s ambition.” Kissing her hand he turned to Eric. “I understand you are a very distinguished man of medicine especially in the field of blood related diseases, I have studied some of your papers presented to the AMA. Very impressive.” He bowed slightly shook Eric’s hand then smiled stepping back.

“Actually, my field is more medical and just recently adopted the field of blood research with my lovely wife. She is the real expert in the field of blood diseases she is less published than I because she has spent the past few years dealing with people suffering from psychosis and mental disabilities.” 

Henri smiled with a twinkle in his eye, “OH then you must be Julia Hoffman? Just recently wed?” He chuckled softly, “I should have known a man such as Dr. Lang would snap up a find like you. I too have read of your work in the field of PTSD and find that you have out done yourself. I am impressed to finally meet some of those distinguished members of the medical and collegian community. I am impressed and only wished we had such distinguished fellowships in my country.” 

Julia blushed and chuckled softly, “You are very kind Duke Henri. Eric and I are content to be known simply as country doctors taking care of the Collins family and those in this community.” 

“Please, please call me Henri, I insist I do not stand on titles in this country.” Turning he noted that Victoria had stepped close to the final member of the Collins family to arrive and be presented for his attention. Henri could not help but slide his gaze to the portrait in the hallway then to the man that had a protective and secure arm around the waist of the lovely young woman at his side. “And there is no doubt whom this very distinguished gentleman would be our cousin Barnabas Collins.”

Elizabeth ushered everyone into the drawing room, smiling widely to have a member of royalty in her drawing room and now the house filled with Collins family members. Excusing herself she went in search of Mrs. Johnson to prepare tea and find a bottle of champagne to toast the family coming together. That left Victoria to try her hand at being a hostess. Still protectively held by Barnabas at his side they took up position in front of the fireplace. 

Barnabas finally relinquished his hold on her waist turned to Henri and offered him a friendly handshake. “It is a pleasure to finally meet the German-French part of the family. I believe it was my Cousin Millicent that moved to France met your Great, great Grandfather and they married and thus began that part of the Collin’s family line?” He tilted his head and glanced to Quentin knowing that was how Quentin got his appearance from Daniel’s sister side.  
“Yes, we have an extensive history going back almost five hundred years and it was your so many cousin Millicent that once she recovered from her malaise and was still somewhat in delicate health moved to France. It was during one of her sojourn into the country of Luxembourg that she met my great many times grandfather and it was an instant love at first sight. Thus began our side of the family tree.”

Quentin smiled widely, “Of course, Millicent was the sister to my great grand father Daniel. That explains why we have such a strong family resemblance.” Quentin was still astounded by the how he looked more like this man’s son than he looked like his own father whom he had just claimed as his grandfather. A soft clearing of the throat in the door way and all eyes turned to Daphne pushing Carolyn in by wheelchair. By Carolyn’s side was Gregory Trask. 

Henri’s gaze went to Carolyn and he bowed low, “By the God above, if I had not seen this for myself I would never have believed it. My dear young lady do you have any idea how much like my great, great grandmother you look?” He stooped over took her hand and kissed it. Holding her hand he glanced to Vicki for introductions. 

“I am sorry, Henri this is Carolyn Stoddard and soon to be . . . “ she only hesitated minutely but it was enough that Gregory shot her a dangerous glance of irritation but for Vicki the name Trask had been nothing but a horrendous nightmare since her trip back in time and the man’s ancestor had tormented her during her time in this house during a dark period in the life of this family. “Trask, the gentleman beside her is her fiancé, and then the young lady at her side is Daphne Harridge the fiancé to Quentin. Daphne, Carolyn, and Gregory, this distinguished gentleman is Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg.” 

Henri gently took Carolyn’s hand in his and kissed it showing a kind of reverence for the woman in the wheel chair. “I can see why my great, great grandfather fell in love with Millicent if she was as beautiful as you.” He smiled charmingly for Carolyn, turned and bowed to Daphne and took her hand. “My dear Miss Harridge it is a pleasure to meet you. I understand that you are in the medical field?” He deduced it by the nurse uniform she wore while escorting Carolyn. Then with some deference he turned and looked at Gregory Trask. “And you are the Attorney that has captured my dear cousin’s heart?” He bowed slightly took the offered hand.

Gregory gushed, “It is a pleasure to meet you Grand Duke Henri and yes, she is the woman I had always wanted to have in my life and now I have her!” He released the hand held by Henri and looked at Carolyn who sat with no emotion showing on her face, and from the looks of her she was like Julia with child and apparently unmarried. Henri being a gentleman did not make any further note of her condition. 

“Then you are a lucky man, I myself have taken a wife and we have five children. She will be joining me shortly from New York, she had business to attend and functions to prepare and I slipped away with her blessing because she knew how anxious I was to come to Collinsport to meet our American relatives.” Daphne pushed Carolyn into the room and rested her next to the outer chair by the fireplace, the others had found seats and were comfortably situated in polite silence as the introductions were made.

Elizabeth entered with Roger who had apparently come through the kitchen to be told he had a cousin that was visiting and was now there to make the introduction but before the actual introduction was made, a shout was heard from the landing upstairs. “VICKI! COME QUICKLY! IT IS IMPORTANT! SARAH SAYS WE ARE IN DANGER!” The sounds of pounding feet of an anxious twelve year old could be heard as they moved down the stairs to come up short under the auspicious glare of his father.

Vicki who had taken a seat on the settee in front of the fireplace stood smiled at those present and hurried from the room to collect David. What she had not anticipated was Duke Henri has followed her to the foyer to stare at the young man that had to be David Collins. 

Vicki smiled with a soft flush and a look of apology to those present, “Excuse me. I will take care of David. Please Roger do not scold him. Allow me to deal with this.” Vicki turned to David who was obviously filled with concern and worry. “David, please lets go to your room so we can discuss what Sarah had to say.”

Taking her hands to guide him to the stairs he looked at her with a degree of skepticism, “You don’t believe me you just don’t want me down here. You think I am being silly or am lying.” Their voices faded up the stairs.

Roger sighed, “My sincerest apologies Henri, the boy has issues and if it were not for Vicki I swear we would have had him locked away at Julia’s institution a long time a go.”

Henri smiled benevolently and spoke with a degree of understanding. “My dear cousin Roger, did you not realize children at his age are always a hand full? Why my own have given me my fair share of white hair. I always remembered how it was when I was young like that and how my life seemed to be twisted into knots because of my raging hormones and reaching for puberty. You know that change and the voice cracking and then there are always the pimples.” He sighed dramatically, which elicited a chuckle from most in the room.

Collinwood, David’s bedroom

Vicki ushered David into his room and paused in the doorway. Standing at the foot of his bed was Sarah, and not only Sarah but the strong scent of jasmine filled the room with the appearance of Josette. “Mon cher enfant we are here now. “ She stepped to David’s side looked to Victoria. “The child is correct the danger comes from one that played mischief in the past. He has a hold over one of you now and he is not about to loose what he thinks belongs to him. It is always the same with these powerful dark ones. They take a liking to someone and if they try to go against the wishes of the dark one they find they have become a pawn in the play between light and dark. You all must be on alert especially you and Barnabas.”

Victoria had instinctively put her arms around David’s shoulders and let her gaze turn from Josette to Sarah. “Is this the danger you sent David to warn us about Sarah. She watched the pretty child nod her head slowly. 

She turned and put her delicate hand into Josette’s hand. “We discovered this while you were meeting the new Collins cousin, Henri. You know he is the direct grandson of Millicent so he is a true Collins.” She had spoke so innocently that Vicki could not be angry with her for upsetting David. 

Leaning down Vicki spoke softly into David’s ear. “Why don’t you go and play, I am sure Sarah would much rather be playing outside with you than in here with Josette and me. So go get your coat and have Sarah meet you downstairs and outside. I will deal with this for you David, don’t worry.” 

David turned and smiled at Victoria then turned to Sarah. “Come on let the grown ups talk we can go play pirates!” David’s whole attitude changed dramatically as he slipped on his coat and rushed to his bedroom door to throw it open then turned to Sarah. Laughing he challenged “Race you to the hideout.” Dashing out of the door his laughter could be heard all the way back to his room. 

“Silly boy doesn’t he know that I can beat him to the hideout because I am a ghost?” She folded her arms and faded from view. This caused Vicki and Josette to chuckle.

“Well what is the threat can you tell me?” Josette sobered and grew a little contemplative. Tilting her head she nodded slowly.

“Let us just say that he is a man that carries a title he does not deserve, he is very evil and the gypsies hate him. But he is afraid of one gypsy more than any other.” She began to fade as the sound of footsteps sounded along the hallway. 

“Josette wait. What is his name?” But it was too late he was gone. Vicki turned to see a concerned and curious Barnabas standing in the doorway. “Barnabas?” Walking to the door she embraced him and held him close to her body. Feeling his hands come up to instinctively brush her hair from her face.

“Was Josette here just now?” He asked softly his gaze going over the room not seeing her but still smelling her perfume. 

“Yes, and David as usual was right. There is someone coming to Collinwood with an undeserved title and is hated by the gypsies and he is afraid of one gypsies and he is seeking someone he feels belongs to him. That was about all she could give me in her cryptic way.” She closed her eyes enjoying the feel of his arms around her. It seemed it had been ages since they had a quiet moment alone. “Why are you here?” She opened her eyes and peered into his sad brown eyes.

“I had a feeling you needed me so I came to search for you. Elizabeth has invited Henri to stay here and when his wife has finished her business in New York.” He placed a gentle sweet kiss on her forehead.” Turning her, he began to lead her down the hallway and back to the landing in the foyer. “You don’t suppose this man with an undeserved title could possibly be cousin Henri?” 

Vicki shook her head. “I really think I is someone that we have not met at this time. I do know that Josette said that he already had one of us under his power and that he was very evil and very powerful and we all were in danger but especially you and I.” She slid her arm around his waist and before he opened the door she stepped in front of him. Lacing her arms around his neck she smiled coquettishly into his eyes. “I am sorry sir but there is a toll here that must be paid prior to allowing you to pass.” 

“A toll? Why my dear lovely young woman why whatever do you mean? You surely mean for me to I forfeit something to allow my passage and what might the price be that you wish to exact.” He was all too willing too fall into her playfulness. At least for these brief moments he could forget the horrific time he went through to make sure she would be safe and they could enjoy some innocent fun. He watched her tilt her head screw up her face and then a sly smile edged her lips. 

“It is a simple toll and will only cost you your time and a kiss.” She let out a low chortle with that impish look on her face. “It is such a small price to pay for the ability to pass this point don’t you think?” She did not really get a chance to say anything else, Barnabas drug her closer and planted his lips to hers in a demanding passionate kiss. When he released her she staggered her back to the door and flushed deeply.

“I would say with that, you have more than paid for any previous tolls that might be exacted but on the other hand I rather liked that and might ask for double the payment next time.” She had seen that serious worried look in his face and knew this would bring him out of his sadness with a little happy flirting love play. It had worked the sparkle was back in his eyes and he looked at her with deep and abiding love.

“Victoria Winters for you I will always have double payment. If you require it I would gladly give you triple payment.” He lowered his head and once again captured her lips. Pressing her into the door he pinned her to him and kissed her leaving her with the impression that there was more from where that came from. Breaking the kiss they both cocked their heads and could hear Elizabeth’s assent up the stairs. 

“I will return I just want to check on Vicki and Barnabas and see if they have David calmed down.” Barnabas looked down with a hint of disappointment written on his face and a sparkle of passion still igniting his gaze.

“I suppose we should make ourselves known to cousin Elizabeth so she does not have to come up and find us indelicate.” He smiled and it was a roguish smile that edge his lips, winking he reached behind her, opened the door and quickly turned her to facing the landing with her back to him. 

“Oh Vicki, Barnabas how is David?” Liz paused halfway up the stairs seeing then exit the family’s sleeping quarter area. 

“He is fine mother he just had a moment and well I think he was seeking a little attention. It will be something I can address with him later. For now he is out playing so he should not bother or create a problem for the adults.” Vicki walked to the top of the stairs where she met her mother. Liz leaned forward and placed a light kiss on her forehead. 

“Thank you darling, now Mrs. Johnson is having a fit so I am going to help her prepare supper since we have so many for dinner and she was not prepared I think she is a little overwhelmed.” Vicki fell into step beside her mother and paused on the step one above her mother.

“Oh mother don’t worry about that, I will go help her fix supper and serve it.” She had laid a hand of comfort on her mother’s arm when a amused sounding voice from the foyer made it a moot point.

“Nonsense ladies, no one needs to worry about supper this night. I am treating us all to dinner out at Q’s tonight and was about to phone the club to tell them get a room available for our arrival. This will include Mrs. Johnson and she can enjoy the dinner with us as part of the family.” Quentin had paused by the phone on the foyer table and had begun to dial his supper club.

Vicki could feel the relaxing of her mother’s body and even let out a small sigh of relief for her as well. Quentin made quick order of arranging dinner for the family when Vicki realized she needed to go and fetch David. “Why don’t you all go in and I will go and get David.” She skipped the rest of the way down the stairs and reached for her coat by the door. Turning she opened the door and stepped back with a gasp. Standing prepared to knock on the door was a exotically beautiful blond headed women wearing an expensive fur coat and looking as surprised as Vicki. 

Vicki felt her heart racing she gasped, “Angelique!” Stepping away from the woman that now looked confused and concerned over her reaction. 

“No, not Angelique though a lovely name I can assure you I am not Angelique and dare say I would not like to be if it illicits such a reaction to those that see me.” She waited to be invited in. Vicki was unsure and as Barnabas rounded the corner to see what was keeping Vicki in the doorway he too had the same reaction as Vicki.

“Angelique! What are you doing here?” Before the woman could explain her presence again to someone else that thought she must be the very devil itself and kept calling her Angelique, the door to the drawing room opened and the Grand Duke Henri exited the drawing room to light up and say with surprised delight. “Josephine! You made it here earlier than you thought. Please my love come in and meet my family!” 

Grand Duchess Josephine entered the room brushing past Vicki and a stunned Barnabas who had turned to stare at one another as she entered the foyer. “Cousin Elizabeth, Victoria, Barnabas this is my wife, the Grand Duchess Josephine Renee’ Louisa Charlotte. She is the Princess of Belgium and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.” He proudly introduced his beautiful wife to his family.

Stunned and speechless Vicki leaned heavily into Barnabas and whispered with a distressed hiss, “Please tell me that is not Angelique!”


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Duke Henri draped a protective arm around his wife’s shoulders removing the expensive fur coat. Vicki stepped forward and took her coat. “Darling, I thought you would be in New York another week? How am I so fortunate to find you here with me?” He smiled beguilingly into her gaze and placed a light chaste kiss on her forehead. Vicki laid the coat on the foyer table, turned to lace her arm around Barnabas’ waist. Elizabeth was the first to step forward and offer her hand.

“Welcome to Collinwood Cousin Josephine. We have just convinced your dear husband, Cousin Henri to stay with us and would hope that you find our accommodations more inviting than those offered in Collinsport.” 

Josephine took Elizabeth’s hands by her fingertips barely touching her hand. “Pleasure I am sure, she slid her gaze over Victoria and Barnabas. Smiling brightly she shifted that gaze dismissively over Victoria and let her predatory gaze land on Barnabas. “Did I hear my husband call you Barnabas?” She laughed lightly her eyes shining with mischief. The fact she totally dismissed Victoria was a more than rude it was noticeable. 

Barnabas nodded, “That is correct, excuse me.” He watched the reaction of his soft rebuke glide over her face. Shifting his gaze back to Victoria. “My dearest one, may I entreat you on a moonlight stroll back to the Old House where we may continue our discussion regarding our impending nuptials.” Barnabas was not going to allow some snobbish Angelique want to be discounting his fiancé. Having dealt with her kind before Barnabas pointedly turned to Elizabeth smiled and bowed from the waist. 

“Elizabeth, if you would be so kind as to give our excuses to the rest of the family, you will understand we are anxious to be on with planning our wedding.” He took Elizabeth’s hand and kissed it, turning to the Duke he bowed to him and his wife. “Now if you will excuse us.” He smiled then turned Vicki and led her to the foyer where he took her coat from the hook and helped her into her coat. Lifting his own Inverness Cape. 

Josephine frowned, tilted her head and said softly, “Well I never.” She turned her back on the departing couple looking very vexed at her husband. Who had frowned down into her lovely face. “I feel very ignored and rebuked my dear. Did I do something wrong?”

Elizabeth sighed softly, “you should not feel rebuked Cousin Josephine, my cousin and daughter are very much in love. They had several obstacles placed before them and they are just anxious to plan their wedding. So as you can imagine they now wish to renew that love they shared for each other.” Elizabeth smiled to take any intended harshness out of the words should the Duchess feel she was being chastised.

Henri smiled in return to Elizabeth, “Sometimes, Josephine forgets her good manners that she was raised with and comes across a bit harsh and crass and most people from this country do not know how to take my precious Josephine she can be abrasive.” He tightened his hold on his wife’s shoulders as one of his warnings to not say anything. “I am sure Cousin Elizabeth once she feels more comfortable about my newly discovered family she will be the woman that I married and remember she is a part of this family too.”

Josephine could tell by the coated tone of his voice that she had made a huge mistake in treating the members of this house as she had. She also knew that later on in the privacy of their room he would also let her know how wrong she had been. Feeling the dread of her attitude later she tightened her smile and flushed deeply. “If I have offended you my dear Cousin Elizabeth, please accept my humblest of apologies. It is I am tired from the long journey on that dreadful train and then to find a cab to bring me here was a horrendous experience.” 

Her words were sincere but inside she quaked at the idea of being alone with her husband later. The tension in his fingers had tightened when she first spoke to Elizabeth and as the words came out he wished to hear the pressure lessened until his fingers were back to the caring tender touch she had become to enjoy. “Well why don’t you come to the drawing room and meet everyone else. I am sure they are anxious to meet you as much as I was.” Again, Elizabeth was being the gracious hostess.

Old House Drawing Room

Barnabas opened the door for Victoria and allowed her entry into the foyer. Vicki turned to wait for Barnabas to enter and was arrested by a very pleasant sight in front of her, Beth was helping Willie from the car and guiding him with his crutches to the front steps. “Oh Barnabas look, its Willie!” She smiled brightly looking at the two as they cuddled for a brief moment with Willie balancing on his crutches, behind Willie and Beth, Rebecca followed them towards the front of the house. 

Barnabas smiled looking at the progress that Willie was making on his own; he suspected that he held to Beth because he wanted to feel her close to him. Willie looked up and smiled. “Hey Barnabas, they released me to light duties at home, so Beth and Becky brought me home hope that is ok?” He looked a little unsure until he saw the broad grin on Barnabas’ face.

“Of course it is perfectly acceptable for you to come home Willie this is after all your home too. Please come in and join Victoria and I in a celebratory drink to your return and our setting our date and preparing for our wedding.” Barnabas stood aside and waited for Willie to come up the stairs, then he stood next to his free side and helped him into the drawing room and a chair.

Vicki had gone to the liquor cabinet and pulled out the bottle of wine and glasses. Rebecca joined her offering to help. “May I help hand out the drinks?’ Becky smiled watching Vicki nod and waited for her to pour two more drinks, picking up the first two drinks she took them to Barnabas and Willie, returning to take two more drinks one for herself and Beth. Vicki finished pouring her drink. Turning she stepped to the others gathered around the fireplace.

Rebecca cleared her throat and spoke softly her face held a tender smile as she looked at her brother first then to the others gathered together. “I would like to be the first to propose a toast. I give you Barnabas and Victoria two people that were made for each other, who has one of those special loves that can transcend time and find where it belongs.” 

Vicki standing next to Barnabas smiled with a flush, she remembered finding her love for him in 1794. She knew then instinctively she loved him and no matter what happened then, she would find her love for him again in the 20th century. “No truer words were spoken.” Willie said as he lifted his glass to his lips. 

“To Vicki and Barnabas!” Beth smiled lifted her glass and watched as everyone else lifted their glasses and saluted the happy couple huddled close together. Vicki glanced up into her fiancé’s eyes and when she did she was riveted by the smoldering passion and withheld emotions he had hidden from everyone but her, she flushed with excited anticipation and tip toed up to kiss his lips lightly. 

“I love you Barnabas Collins.” She had whispered for his ears only. The others in the room seeing the sweet tender moment between the two chuckled softly and a ‘here, here!” was uttered. Vicki cleared her throat. “My turn, I give you my future husband Barnabas Collins that when I look into his eyes I see my life and our children. I give you Willie Loomis and Beth Chavez two people that were meant to be together and I give you Rebecca Loomis, whom has been an immeasurable help to me in managing Devlin Enterprises.” 

Again the glasses were lifted, and then Beth spoke softly her gaze drinking in the sight of Willie sitting back comfortably in his chair. “I give you Willie Loomis, the man that conquered his adversities and showed me how love is suppose to be. I love you Willie, and I want you to know that you have meant the world to me from the very moment I met you.” 

“Willie Loomis, the man that conquered more than his adversities, a man that showed me how to be human, and to respect other’s feelings, a man that has meant more to me than he will ever imagine. That is why I want to ask him now to be my best man at our wedding.” Barnabas had stepped forward and faced Willie with a smile.

Willie nearly dropped his glass he jerked up into a straight up sitting position and flushed. “Um yeah sure I would be honored Barnabas, are you sure you don’t want Dr. Lang or Professor Stokes to be your best man?” Willie was taken aback. He had never expected to be made an equal with Barnabas. He tried to stand and felt a gentle hand pushing him back to his seat.

“Yes Willie I want you to be my best man.” He smiled then turned to face Victoria. “I would also like to honor my future wife, Victoria Collins Winters soon to be Collins. In here I have learn to trust in my heart and to follow it and it led me to her. I give you Beth who was a miracle for our William and then I give you Rebecca a sweet addition to the family.” Again the glasses lifted to the toast then it was Willie’s turn to speak. 

“To Barnabas and Vicki two people made for each other, to Beth that gave me hope and taught me love, and finally to Rebecca, who has given me a little sister to boss around and protect.” This caused the group to chuckle and the glasses were raised. 

When the toasts were finished, Rebecca and Beth helped Willie to his room and the went to their respective rooms for the night with reassurances to Vicki and Barnabas that they would take care of the bed linens and making the rooms up to leave the two to adjourn to the library. “I wish I could talk you into staying tonight I do not like the idea of you being under the same roof as that woman.” He sat behind his desk and she set on his lap encircling her arms around his neck and laying her head on his shoulder.

“I suppose I could call the house and tell them I will be staying the night, I have missed sharing the evenings with you.” To accent her words there was a low roll of thunder that vibrated the house. She glanced out the window and saw the brilliant flash of lightening. “Well I guess that settles the debate.” She chuckled softly. “Can’t very well go home in the pouring rains since we walked through the woods.”

Barnabas cupped her chin lifted his and planted a chaste kiss that grew into a more demanding kiss on her lips. Vicki gave into the kiss and played with the back of his hairline as she allowed his hands to glide up her sweater and cup her breast softly in one hand. This action caused her to moan softly as he caressed his thumb over her taunt nipple. “Stay with me tonight my precious love, stay with me, lay with me and keep me company this night.” 

Vicki opened her eyes and smiled, “I will stay with you and I will lay with you this night and hopefully in a few months time we will lay together forever my love, forever and ever.” 

Collinwood  
Guest Bedroom

The comfortably large room had at one time been Jeremiah’s room, it held a more modern feel to it with the windows open allowing the sea breeze to blow in and ruffle the curtains. The room had wall-to-wall carpeting with a large decorative rug resting on top. The four-poster bed centered the dominant wall. A wall of closets edged the other wall and across from that was a fire burning cozily in the large fireplace. Two chairs with small foot rests sat on each side of the fireplace and over the mantle a long dead Collins family member staring broodingly down at whomever had the misfortune to catch the eyes of the portrait. The walls held a soft robins eggshell blue with a cherry chair rail. 

“How quaint.” Josephine smiled her appreciation for the room to her hostess. She covetedly watched Henri trying to gage his mood hidden behind a polite mask of appreciation to the matriarch of the house. “The room is lovely Cousin Elizabeth and I want to thank you for allowing us to stay here. I fear while I was in town I saw the only hotel that offered any kind of shelter and frankly it was very old fashion and I am sure clean but not quite what I am used to having. So your kind offer was a god send.!” 

She saw Henri stiffen and chewed her bottom lip, then watched his back relax and she let out a small long breath to release the tension from her own body. Elizabeth smiled, “Well I knew you would not be accustomed to the fare offered in town and the house is big and I do have but one servant and she complains incessantly about the work she has to do but we still accept her as part of the family. You will understand that my daughter is currently bed bound due to her pregnancy and well Daphne has been a tremendous help, she is the niece to Dr. Hoffman-Lang. I suppose for your visit I could bring on one more servant that could help you.”

Henri turned and smiled beguilingly for Elizabeth. “Not necessary Cousin Elizabeth. We are perfectly capable of helping ourselves and cannot thank you enough for your generosity.” He took her hand and kissed it. “I will leave you to the rest of your night and we will unpack and see you in the morning.” He closed the door as she exited the room. Pressing his palm flat to the door. Josephine watched him and knew he was listening to her retreating footsteps. “You know what to do while we are here?”

He had spoken to the door but it was Josephine that knew what he meant. “I do, you want me to distract Barnabas and keep his attention from Victoria.” She watched him turn; his eyes had grown dark and contemplative. He smiled, and nodded then he fixed that hard stare on her form.

“I brought you back from Zachary because I have a use for you Angelique. The next time you rebuff a member of this family, I will not be as tolerant as I am this night. I expect your decorum to not be as ostentatious as you were upon your arrival. You snubbed Victoria and you snubbed my . . . “ He chuckled softly, “Henri’s cousin.” He walked to the window and watched the building thunderhead roll in over the Atlantic. “I will not tolerate your being rude to this family.”

“I thought you wanted them all dead, when you first took Henri’s body you had a great hatred for the Collins Family. You spent the last year planning your revenge and the destruction of this family. Now you are coddling them and frankly Andréas it is sickening to see. How can you now wish to worry about their petty feelings?” Josephine walked to the bed and set on the end of it kicking off her shoes and massaging the arch with the toes of her other foot.

“You know my dear to set a trap you must bait it, and coming in here with rage and seeking open vengeance would have given them time to prepare for me and my plans. Whereas coming in as family and seeking their approval lulls them into a false sense of security and they relax their guard. My plans are as they have always been. Although I must say I am enjoying the status this body gives me and the fact I have access to Tate helps me wish to keep this body, destroy Collins and take his bride from him on his wedding night.”

“And what of me? What am I suppose to do?” Josephine jumped up from the bed as the first resounding low rumble of thunder vibrated the room. The flash of lighting was nothing compare to the dangerous glint of hatred she shot at Henri. “You just plan to throw me out and leave me to my own means? You promised you would find Peter for me and reunite us.”

Andréas Petofi now occupying the body of Henri Limburg turned and smiled, and for the first time, Josephine saw the malice in that smile. “Oh do not worry my dear I promise you will be with your precious Bradford, just uphold your end of our bargain and you will be reunited with him.” These words held very little comfort for Angelique as she folded her arms over her chest she studied the back of the man that had brought her from the depths of hell.

When he turned her coldly looked her over. “Perhaps you should retire my dear you are looking tired, I am not ready to retire and might explore the house. Don’t wait up for me.” He smartly turned on his heels and walked to the door. Pausing for a moment he frowned, “And you had better reconsider those thoughts my dear, I know what you are thinking and I can just as easily send you back to Judah Zachary if you wish.” 

She felt her body grow cold and her face froze in place with her hidden anger and her venomous thoughts watching him go through the door. “What the hell is so wonderful about that stupid milk toast bitch that every man that has any contact with her wants to claim her as their own!” She hissed softly under her breath. Locking his hands behind his back he walked slowly down the hallway and turned at the end juncture and looked to the family’s quarters.

Using his instincts he walked down the hallway and paused outside the door he knew belonged to her bedroom. Trying the doorknob he opened the door and stepped into her room. Softly, he closed the door behind him and looked the room over finding it quaint and simple. Walking to her closet he opened the door and ran his hands over the simple dresses contained inside. Turning he walked to the dresser and opened the dresser drawer and pulled out her slip and drew its scent to his nose and inhaled.

Seeing her perfume on the dresser he lifted the bottle and opened it and sniffed and smiled. Looking the room over he found a spot he needed to put the special stone he held in his pocket. Setting the stone in the room so he had a view of the entire room he stepped back shoved the slip into the drawer, walked to the closet and closed the door. “You aren’t suppose to be in here Cousin Henri, this is Miss Winter’s room.”

Henri turned and smiled at the boy standing in the doorway. “Cousin David isn’t it?” He walked to the boy and looked down into his wide and disbelieving eyes.

“Yes, and you are in the wrong room, your room is across the hallway on the other side of this wing. Do you need me to show you?” He stepped back out of Vicki’s room with a quick cursory glance around to make sure nothing was out of place. 

“Not necessary my dear boy, I was just exploring and understood there was a door down on this end that led to the West Wing and I was curious about it.” Henri smile tightened as he guided the boy from the room. 

“It is this door here.” He nodded to the one at the end of the hallway. “But its locked and we don’t go there. That wing has not been used in a very long time. Aunt Elizabeth made sure the locks were changed when Miss Winters accidently got locked in a room there one time.”

Henri chuckled as he noted the boy accented the word accidently. “You did not have anything to do with that accident did you cousin David?” He glanced down at the boy who was leading him down the hallway. He watched David stiffen in a defensive pose get a thoughtful look then said softly.

“No, I would not have anything to do with that she went exploring and she should have stayed in this wing, Aunt Elizabeth warned her not to go there and she did any way.” He folded his arms across his chest and glared at the floor.

“Whey was she exploring in that part of the house, she seems to be a very practical girl, what could have possessed her to go and explore when she had been told not to go there?” He locked his look on David’s bent head and watched him take a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“I guess she thought I might have been there and went looking for me because she was worried about me.” He stopped outside the door that led to a tower room. “Well this is my room, I am going to bed now. Good night Cousin Henri.” He placed his hand on his door and listened to Henri as he sauntered on down the hallway. 

“Goodnight Cousin David. Sleep well dear boy.” His voice floated back to David and for some reason David felt there was a hidden meaning in that message. Going into his room he stopped seeing Sarah sitting on the edge of his bed swinging her feet and throwing her ball in the air.

“He is a very bad man you know David, he is evil.” She caught the ball and slipped from the bed walking to the window she watched the storm push to the land with lashing rain and howling wind that now whipped up around the casement windows. 

“How do you know this?” David stepped next to her and watched the storm make landfall. He watched her small shoulders rise and fall in a shrug.

“I don’t know I just know. You need to warn Miss Winters she is in a lot of danger and so is Barnabas. Josette tried to tell them earlier but was interrupted and had to leave. There was another matter she needed to address that was more pressing than telling them something cryptic about that new cousin.” 

David frowned, “Why is he evil?” 

“Because he is someone he is not. He is pretending and lying to everyone and . . .” A sound outside of David’s door caused Sarah’s form to fade from view as David turned his head to see his door open and Henri standing in the doorway.

“I see that I am going to have to teach you a lesson David. You really should keep your nose out of other people’s business.” He approached David and reached forward and cup his chin. “From this day forward until I deem it not, you will not be able to tell anyone about me, when you try you will loose your voice and be unable to write.” Stepping back Andréa Petofi chuckled softly turned and left David standing and staring after his retreating form.

“I will make you sorry. You will regret ever coming to Collinwood and I will find a way to tell everyone what an evil bastard you are.”

This ends Shadows of Memories Past, we now move on to the next chapter in the life of the Collins family with Shadows Bliss. Barnabas and Victoria plan their wedding, Quentin and Daphne decide to get married, Willie and Beth get engaged and Count Andréa Petofi with the help of Angelique plans the end of Collinwood and the Collins family, what remains is will Barnabas and Quentin find out in time to prevent the destruction of their legacy?


End file.
